GIFT  or 

George   H.    Kahn, 


HlUybirtV  uBHAKY 


QEO.  H.  KAHN 


s^C*^ 


THE    EYE!  41 

ITS    DISEASES    AND    THEIR    CURE; 

COMPRISING  A  FAMILIAR  DESCRIPTION 

OP    THE 

ANATOMY  AND  PHYSIOLOGY, 

Oy   THE 

ORGAN  OF   VISION: 

RULES    FOR   THB 

PRESERVATION,  IMPROVEMENT,  AND  RESTORATION  01^  SIGHTj 

WITH    REMARKS 

ON  OPTICS, 

ON  NEAR  SIGHT  AND    AGED  SIGHT; 

AND   THE  USE   AND   ABUSE  OF  SPECTACLES, 

WITH    DIRECTIONS    FOR   THEIR    SELECTION. 


BY  JAMES  W.  POWELL,  M.D., 

CflKB  OP  THE  COLLEGE  OF  SURGEONS,    OCULIST,    AURIST  ;    AUTHOR  OF  A  TEEATMB 
ON  THE    ASIATIC    CHOLERA,    &C.,    &C.  * 


aijirb  (BWion. 


NEW  YORK: 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AUTHOR,  AT  261  BROADWAT, 

AND  SOLD  BY  ALL  BOOKSELLERS. 

1849. 


OPTOMETRY 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  tlie  year  1847,  by 
JAMES  W.  POV/ELL,  M.D., 
the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  Dii?tr!ct  Court  of  the  Southern  District  of  New  York 


V-  S.  Bank  Note  Reporter  Printing  Office. 


Da.  POWELL'S  Hours  of  Attendance,  at  his  Residence  and  Officqa, 

261  Bhoadway,  (entrance  1-^  Warbex-stbeet,) 

Art  from  ISine  io  I'hur. 


My  Dear  Doctor, 

The  kindness  which  you  evinced  towards  me  during 
my  studies  under  your  superintendance,  from  1828  to  1833. 
prompts  me  at  this  distance  of  time  and  place,  respectfully  to 
dedicate  to  you  this  Treatise,  in  which  I  have  attempted  to 
popularize  the  science  of  Vision — a  department  of  knowledge, 
give  me  leave  to  say,  on  which  your  genius  has  already  shed 
such  lustre. 

I  trust  that  this  little  work  may  not  be  found  wanting-in 
usefulness  to  those  for  whose  benefit  it  is  intended.     I  will  be 

♦'  Content,  if  hence  th'  unleam'd  their  wants  may  view, 
The  learn'd  reflect  on  what  before  they  knew." 


Ever  gratefully, 
Your  Friend  and  Pupil, 

J.  W.  POWELL, 


Dr.  JACOB, 

Professor  of  the  Diseases  of  the  Eye  and  Ear, 

Lecturer  on  Anatomy  and  Physiology, 

Royal  College  of  Surgeons,  Dublin. 


Ntio  York,  May  15,  1S47. 


CONTENTS. 


Dedication, .-.----vii 

Preface  vo  First  Edition,  -xv 

Preface  to  Second  Edition,  -.- xvii 

7nlroduction,        -- idx 

Optics — Nature  of  Light — Its  properties — Moon  and  Stars — Rays  of  Light — 
Refraction — Convergence  and  Divergence  of  Rays— Lenses — Burning  / 
Glass — Archimedes — BufTon — Parker  —  Microscope — Magic  Lantern— 
Light-houses— Mirage —  M.  Monge  —  French  Army  —  Dr.  Vincent— 
Ramsgate — Dover — Capt.  Scoresby — Greenland  Sea— Fata  Morgana— 
Straits  of  Messina— Minasi — City  of  Reggio — Reflection  of  Light — 
Mirrors — Specula — Kaleidoscope — Compound  Nature  and  Divisibility  of 
Light— Sir  Isaac  Newton— Mother  of  Pearl— Barton— Iris  Ornaments— 
The  Rainbow — Brewster — Heating  Power — Colors  how  formed — Mag- 
netic Property  of  Rays— Farraday  —  Formation  of  Images — Camera 
Obscura — Daguerreotype — Mr.  M.  B.  Brady — Telescope — Convex  and 
Concave  Lenses  - 21 

Anatomy  of  the  Eye— Form— Bony  Socket— Coats — Sclerotic- Choroid- 
Retina — Cornea — Humours — Aqueous — Vitreous  —  Crystalline— White 
of  the  Eye— Fishes — Birds — Pigmentum  Nignim — Albino — Animals  of 
Prey — Ciliary  processes — Jacob's  Membrane — Chambers  of  the  Eye- 
Membrane  of  the  Aqueous  Humor— Iris— Pupil— Byron— Eyelids— Mel 
bomian  Glands — Lachrymal  Passages  and  Sac — Oaruncula  Lacrymalis 
— Eye-lashes — Orbicularis  Palpebrarum — Levator  Palpebrae — Eye-brow 
— Lacrymal  Gland— Tears— Conjunctiva— Muscles  of  the  Eye— Straight 
— Oblique — Dr.  Jacob — Pathetic  Muscle — Nerves— Optic  Nerves  -Fora- 
men Opticum — Fifth   Pair  of  Nerves — Sneezing — Schneiderian  Mem- 
brane—Blood-vessels— Ciliary  Arteries  -  -  -  -    38 

Physiology  of  the  Eye — Vision — Inverted  Image — Eye  of  an  Ox— Impression 
retained — Circle  of  Light — Painted  Wheel — Thaumatrope — Ocular  Spec- 
trum— Harmony  of  Colors — Pictures — Supernatural  Appearances — In- 
sensibility to  certain  Colors  —  Anecdotes  —  Edinburgh  Tailor— Naval 
Officer— Priestley— The  Artist— Green  Moustache— Blue  Cheeks— Appa- 
rent Magnitude  —  Landscape  and  Architectural  Painting  —  Sense  of 
Touch— Blind  Persons— Reverberation— Singleness  of  Vision— Delirium 
—Intoxication — Adjusting  Power  of  the  Eye,  -  -  -        -    47 


CONTENTS. 

Diseases  of  the  Eye — Ophthalmia — Chronic — Egyptian — Inrantile— Symp- 
toms— Treatment — Cases — Granular  Lids  —  Treatment — Cases — Ptery- 
gium— Inflammation  of  Sclerotic,  Cornea,  Ulcers — Cases — Nebula?— 
Opacities — Specks — Cases — Staphyloma  —  Iritis  —  Symptoms — Cases — 
Closed  Pupil — Cataract — Catopric  experiment — Purkinje  of  Breslau — 
Amaurosis-  Symptoms— Cases— Fungus  Hocmatodes — Cancer  -    53 

Affections  of  the  Eye-lids — Psorophthalmia — Causes — Symptoms — Treat- 
ment—Trichiasis — Entropium — Ectropinm — Hordeolum  or  Stye — Na3vi 
Materni — Ptosis- -Fistula  Lachrymalis — Treatment  -  -    73 

Strabismus    or    Squinting  —  Causes — DiefTenbach — Chinese — Descartes- 


Injuries  and  Accidents — Dust — Sand--Insects — Railroad  Sparks— Emery — 
Steel-r-Iron  Filings— Chips  of  Wood— Stone— Detonating  Caps— Lime 
— Fused  Metals — Scalding  Water— Concentrated  Acids  —  Method  of 
Treatment— Cases— Black  Eye—"  Rowdy's  Coat  of  Arms"— Musquito 
Bites— Other  Insects  -  -  -  -  -  -  -80 

Artificial  Eyes — Beautiful  Substitute— Enamel — Gems  of  Art— Colors  of 
Iris— Brilliancy  of  Cornea — Difficulty  of  Detection — Correspondence  of 
Motion— Personal  Appearance— Great  Advantage — Method  of  Introduc- 
tion—Removal — Precautions — Culpable  Ignorance — Horrible  Operation 
— Maiame  Pluyette — Amusing  Trial  -  -  -  -  -    83 

Advice  to  Patients — Pure  Medicines — Personal  preparation  of  them— New- 
ton—The  two  Herschells — Farraday— Earl  of  Rosse— Medical  Pro- 
fession—False Standard  of  Dignity— Hap-hazard— Doubtful  Stock — 
'  Careless  Apprentice — Dangers  of  Delay — Random  Experiments — Spe- 
cifics—Eye- waters — Ealsams---Experienced  Oculist— Public  Institutions 
— Erroneous  Practice— Bleeding— Blistering- •Oupping--A  PUl  at  Night 
— Salts  in  the  Morning — Co-operation  of  Pati':?nts,  -  -  -    87 

Preservation  of  Vision— Improvement — Prevention  of  Disease — Blindness 
— Milton — Influence  of  the  Mind— General  Health  —  Constitutional 
Causes—"  Mens  sana  incorpore  sano" — Temperance— Alkohol — Liebeg 
— Double  Vision— Red  and  Bleared  Eyes— Regular  Hours— Old  Adage 
—Journal  of  Elizabeth  Woodvi'le,  (iueen  to  Edward  IV. — Clothing— 
W^ooUcn  and  Silken  Goods— Linen — Cotton — Washing  and  Bleaching 
—Frequent  Changes  —  Damp  Feet— Tight  Dress— Corsets— Ladies' 
Bonnets — Colors — Flowers— Ribbons  —  Parasols  —  Sun-shades— Veils 
—Fans  -  -  -  -  >  -  -  -  -    91 

Tho  Bath — Temperature— Test  of  its  '••«;nefit— Insensible  Perspiration — 
Pores,  enormous  length  of,  28  miles— Scarf  Skin— Unctuous  and  Saline 
Products  of  Skin— The  Skin  a  Respiratory  Apparatus— Miasma— In- 
fectious Matter — The  Shower  Bath— Training  necessary— Locke's 
Patent  Baths— Plunge  Bath— Jet  or  Douche  Bath— SELF-ACTING 
EYE-FOUNTAIN,  I'.s  great  advantages,  immediate  relief,  jDre»>C:i-vative 


CONTENTS. 

power — Vapor  and  Medicated  Baths— Cheap  substitute — Temperatni» 
—Temperate— Tepid — Warm  —  Hot — Soap — Coarse  Towel— Friction 
Horse  Hair  Gloves — Dinnelbrd's  -  -  Cummming,  Dodge  and  Co. — 
Bathing  Room— Wet  Sponge— Salt  Water  Bath— Tonic  Effects— Time 
of  taking  bath-  Art  of  Swimming — Philosophical  Facts — Caution — Ap- 
pearance of  depth  of  water  deceptive — Dr.  Rabineau — Floating  Baths — 
Hot  Salt  Water  Baths— Astor  House  -  -  -  -  -    98 

Exercise — Sedentary  Habits — Walking  —  Exercise  without  soul  —  Mind 
amused — Eye  delighted — Country  Air — Clear  Sky — Green  Fields — 
Cheerful  Friend — Roman  Poet— French  Traveller— Exercise  on  Horse- 
back—Cricket— Quoits— Leaping  —  Running  —  Gymnastics  —  Dumb 
Bells — Skipping  Rope  —  Shuttle-cock— Graces — Kalisthenics — Mode- 
ration— Regularity — Appropriate  Time,  -  ...  109 

Diet — Wholesome  and  sufficient  Food- Animal— Vegetable — Soups— Cooking 
— Boiled — Roasted — Broiled — Culinary  Operations  —  Requisite  skill — 
Liebeg's  letter  to  Professor  Silliman  on  Cooking — White  and  young 
Meats  —  Beef— Mutton — Aquatic  Birds — Baking  —  Frying —  Feelings 
often  the  best  guide — Idiosyncrasy — Case  of  a  Lady — Generous  Diet — 
Boiled  Leg  of  Mutton — Roast  Beef— Broiled  Mutton-chop— Back  of  a 
Rabbit — Fowl — Sweet-bread — Tripe — White  Fish — Oysters  —  Eggs — 
Potatoes — Turnips  —  Asparagus  —  Tomato-es  —  Fruit — Pure  Croton — 
W^ine — Ale— Porter — Brandy— Tea — Coffee — Goat's  Milk — Asses  Milk 
— Butter  Milk— Rain— Spring— Pump  and  River  Water — Animalcules — 
Vegetable  Parasites  —  Oxyhydrogen  Microscope  —  Jennison's  Dia- 
phragm Filter— Indigestible  Food— Salt  and  Smoked  Meats — Salt  Fish 
— Butter — Fatty  Substances — Hot  Bread---Rich  Cakes — Pastry — Lob- 
sters—Regular Hours  for  Meals— Proper  Intervals— Rest— Abernethey — 
Gourmand's  Motto— Digestive  System— Habit  of  taking  Medicine — 
Mild  Apperients — Regularity,  -  -  -  -  -  -  HI 

Tobacco— Habit  of  Smoking — Dr.  Laycock — Quantity  consumed — Effects — 
Mucous  Membrane — Stomach — Lungs — Heart — Brain — Nervous  Sys- 
tem— Eyes — Teeth — Sallowness — Consumption — Dr.  Wright,  -  116 

Education — Physical— Mental — Reason  of  Short-sightedness —  Tasks — Over- 
application— Youth  the  period  of  Action — Guide  for  Physical  Education,  118 

Houses,  Offices  and  Manufactories — Location — Marshes — Rooms — Modem 
Windows  —  Reflected  Light — Merchants  —  Princely  Palaces  —  Back 
OiBces  —  Sleeping  Apartments  —  Manufactories  —  Ventilation— Dirty 
Streets — Regularity  of  Light— Wmdow  Shades— Walls — Furniture-- 
Gilding — Position  of  Bed — Perspective — Wisdom  of  Providence — Cradle 
to  the  Grave — Little  "Deary" — Sudden  Transition — French  Bastille — 
Robespierre — "  Man's  Inhumanity  to  Man  " — Dionysius  the  Tyrant — 
The  Carthagenians — Regulus — Roman  Eagles— Battle  Field,  -  120 

Artificial  Light— Day-light — Contrast— Increased  Heat— Great  Desideratum 
— Good  Lamp— Dr.  Ure— Mechanical  or  Carcel  Lamp,  Objections  to — 
Parker's  Hot  Oil  Lamp— Frenrh  Annular     Lamps— Cost  of  Illuminak 


CONTENTS. 

tion — Candles — Protection — Shades — Ultra  Marine — Refreshing — Glass 
Chimneys— Ground  Glass  Shades-Cut  of  Glass  Globe  —  Ammoniated 
Copper — Carbonic  Acid  Gas — Headaches — Eyes — Compositors — Morn- 
ing  Papers — Ventilation — Foul  Air — Lyceums — Lecture-rooms — Public 
Buildings— Arrangement  of  Lights^  -  -  -  -  -  124 

GENERAL  OBSERVATIONS. 

Rubbing  the  Eyes — Bathing  the  Eyes — Douche  —  Rose-water  —  Eau  de 
Cologne — Brilliant  reflected  light — Unlettered  Savage —  Yeux  a  la  neige 
Sandy  Deserts  —  Thompson  —  Xenophon- Army  of  Cyrus— Dust--- 
Smoke— High  Wind— Taxing  the  eyes— Bad  Print— Newspapers— Ele- 
vated Desk — Golden  Rule — Cold  Feet— Young  Persons — Selection  of 
Occupation  —  Book-keepers  —  Engravers  ---  Watch-makers  —  Tailors — 
Shoemakers — Sempstresses— Caution — Amaurosis— Milton — Advice  — 
Wet  Sponge— Cool  Air— Electro-Magnetic  Battery— Silk  Shades— Cele- 
brated  Comedian — Influence  of  the  Mind — Depressing  Passions — Exces- 
sive Sorrow — "Like  Niobe — all  tears" — Serenity — Agreeable  Society — 
Innocent  Amusements,        -----._  129 

Near  Sight  and  Far  Sight — Weakness  of  Sight — Day-Blindness — Night- 
Blindness — Cuba,  -  -  -  -  -  -  -135 

Short-Sightedness — Myopia — Perfect  Vision — Range — Symptoms— Causes — 
Conformation-Refractive  Media— Adjusting  Power— Focal  Point— Prom- 
inent Eyes — Near  Objects— Visual  Angle— Small  Objects— Weak  Light 
— Bright  Light — Contraction  of  Pupil — Habit  of  Closing  the  Eye-lids,  -  136 

Far  Sightedness — Presbyopia — Natural  Change — Symptoms — Flattening — 
Adaptation  to  Distances — Convergence — Arcus  Senilis— Distant  Objects 
— Minute  Objects — Arms  Length — Candle — Density  of  Refractors  — 
Extreme  Old  Age,.     -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  139 

The  Use  and  Abuse  of  Spectacles— Light — Sight — Addison — Divine  Mech- 
anism— Inestimable  Blessing — Discovery  of  Spectacles— Scholar — Litte- 
rateur— Artist — Artisan — Simplest  of  Optical  Instruments — Glasses — 
Their  Action — Concave  Lens — Purpose — When  Requisite — Too  Early 
Use — Age  no  Guide — Apprehensions — Judicious  Selection — Common 
Error — Double  Concave  Glasses — Power-Precautions — Vertigo — Aged 
Sight — Convex  Lenses — Little  Piece  of  Glass — Triumph  over  Nature — 
Preservers — Change — Lowest  Power — Magnifiers — Gradations — Opti- 
cians' Scale — Individual  Selection — Different  Focal  Power  of  each  Eye- 
Plate  Glass — Purity — Method  of  Testing — Frames — Exact  Centre — 
Pupil — Bridge — Eye-pieces — Oval — Circular— Octagon— Model  of  Spec- 
tacles— Material s — Gold —  Silver — Tortoise  S hell — S teel —  Care-  J oints 
— Pebbles — Periscopic — Dr.  Woollaston — Cataract  Glasses — Quizzing 
Glass— Advice— Double  Hand  Eye-glass— Tip  of  the  Nose— Goggles — 
Colored  Glasses— Neutral  Tint— Professional  Education— Urgency  of 
Friends — Testimonials — Conclusion,  ...  -  142 


PREFACE 

TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 

The  rapid  sale  of  the  First  Edition  of  this  Work,  within 
three  short  months,  is  a  gratifying  indication  of  pubhc  approval. 
The  author  takes  this  opportunity  to  thank  his  professional 
brethren  for  the  kind  reception  they  have  so  liberally  accorded 
to  it.  To  the  Public  he  is  also  indebted  for  their  favorable 
acceptance  of  it ;  and  to  the  Press  for  their  valuable  recom- 
mendatory notices.  He  has  endeavoured  to  render  it  more 
deserving  of  the  approbation  already  bestowed  by  a  careful 
revision  of  all  its  parts,  and  by  the  introduction  of  some  fifty 
pages  of  additional  matter. 


PREFACE. 


Many  valuable  and  elaborate  work^  have  been  published 
on  the  Eye  and  its  Diseases.  These  are  not  generally  ac- 
cessible to  the  non-medical  reader,  nor  indeed,  clothed  as  they 
are  in  the  technicalities  of  the  profession,  would  they  be  easily 
understood  by  him. 

Hitherto  no  work  of  a  familiar  nature,  embracing  the 
subjects  specified  in  the  Title  Page,  has  appeared.  I  have 
attempted  to  fill  up  this  hiatus  in  the  popular  literature  of 
the  day,  by  giving,  in  plain  and  concise  language,  which  all 
can  understand,  a  description  of  the  Human  Eye,  the  parts 
of  which  it  is  composed,  and  those  that  are  subservient  to  it, 
both  in  a  state  of  health  and  when  affected  by  disease,  the 
rules  and  precautions  that  are  necessary  to  prevent  disease, 
and  the  simplest  and  best  means  of  relief  in  slight  affections, 
or  on  the  occurrence  of  an  accident. 

I  have  confined  my  observations  respecting  the  curative 
means,  applicable  to  Diseases  of  the  Eye,  to  those  that  can 
be  judiciously  used  by  every  person  of  common  understanding, 
and  have  avoided  alluding  to  the  treatment  of  more  aggravated 
cases  because  the  most  deplorable  consequences  frequently 
result  from  the  use  of  applications,  to  so  delicate  an  organ,  by 
the  inexperienced. 

I  have  incidentally  touched  on  the  science  of  Optics,  where 
the  connexion  was  necessary  to  illustrate  the  living  optical 


XVI  PREFACE. 

instrument  under  consideration ;  explained  the  rationale  of 
spectacles,  and  accounted  for  their  necessity  in  advanced  age, 
the  frequency  of  their  use  in  youth,  the  inconceivable  injury 
that  is  caused  by  bad  and  unsuitable  glasses,  the  great  comfort  * 
and  advantage  of  those  that  are  properly  selected,  together 
with  exact  rules  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  important 
object 

Appropriate  collations  are  made  from  scientific  and  standard 
works  for  the  elucidation  of  the  subject,  thinking  that  "we 
ought  not,  like  the  spider,  to  spin  a  flimsy  web  wholly  from  our 
own  materials,  but,  like  the  industrious  bee,  visit  every  store 
and  cull  the  most  useful  and  the  best." 

In  the  whole  range  of  medical  or  philosophical  subjects,  not 
one  can  be  named  possessing  more  interest  than  the  Science  of 
Vision ;  and  where  shall  we  seek  for  a  subject  on  which  the 
Public  are  less  informed  ?  It  is  tnis  want  of  knowledge  that 
renders  them  so  frequently  the  dupes  of  the  ignorant  empiric, 
who,  with  audacious  effrontery,  undertakes  the  treatment  of 
diseases  of  an  organ  so  pecuHarly  delicate  and  sensitive  as  the 
Eye.  But  its  extreme  delicacy  and  great  importance  will  not 
deter  the  unprincipled,  whose  sole  object  is  gain,  from  tamper 
ing  with  and  ruining  the  eyes  of  all  the  unfortunate  victims 
whom  they  may  beguile  into  their  net. 

"  Oh  Heaven !  that  there  were  but  a  mote  in  theirs, 
A  grain,  a  dust,  a  gnat,  a  wand' ring  hair, 
Any  annoyance  in  that  precious  sense ! 
Then,  feeling  what  small  things  are  boisterous  there, 
Their  vile  intent  must  needs  seem  horrible." — Shakespeare. 

The  Diseases  of  the  Eye,  and  those  of  other  parts  of  the 
system  have  a  geueral  resemblance  to  each  other.     Tliey  are 


PREFACE.  XVU 

influenced  b}^  the  same  laws  wliicli  govern  other  diseases,  and 
their  treatment  is  regulated  by  general  jDrinciples.  Many  of 
the  aflectlons  of  the  eye  depend  upon  constitutional  causes; 
these  must  be  understood  and  removed  before  the  diseases  of 
which  they  are  the  causes  can  be  cured. 

The  disorders  of  the  Eye  are  indeed  so  numerous  and  di- 
versified, and  some  of  the  operations  for  their  relief  require  so 
nice  a  combination  of  skill  and  delicacy  that  they  should  be 
attempted  only  by  the  experienced  Oculist,  and  no  one  except 
the  thorough  Surgeon  can  make  the  complete  Oculist.  His 
science  enables  him  to  recognize  the  analogy  between  the  Dis- 
eases of  the  Eye  and  those  of  other  parts.  His  devotion  and 
attention  to  this  particular  branch  of  his  profession  enables  him 
to  acquire  that  superiority  and  perfection,  which,  in  any  busi- 
ness, can  be  attained  only  by  a  sub-division  of  labor. 

Shall  we  then  trifle  with  this  precious  organ,  or  submit  it  to 
the  rash  treatment  of  the  unskilled  ?  How  often  is  the  Oculist 
considted,  alas !  when  too  late,  where  by  neglect  or  mismanage- 
ment the  sight  is  irretrievably  destroyed?  We  do  not  appreciate 
its  inestimable  value.  We  are  scarce  aware  of  the  privations 
endured  by  those  in  w^hom  it  is  partially  or  entirely  annihilated, 
until  we  ourselves  are  sufferers :  then  we  are  ready  to  exclaim, 
in  the  language  of  the  blind  Bard, — 

"  Oh,  why  was  sight 
To  such  a  tender  ball  as  the  Eye  confined, 
So  obvious  and  so  easy  to  be  quenched ; 
And  not,  as  feeling,  through  all  parts  diffused, . 
That  she  might  look  at  will  through  every  pore."  '* 

And  here,  I  hope,  it  will  not  be  deemed  irrelevant,  or  unbe- 
coming, if  I  allude  to  my  own  professional  career. 


XVlll  PREFACE. 

My  earlier  opportunities  of  acquiring  a  practical  knowledge 
of  the  profession  were  pursued  under  particularly  advantageous 
cii'cumstances,  in  certainly  one  of  the  best  Schools  of  Anatomy, 
Physiology  and  Surgery,  in  the  world — the  College  of  Surgeons 
in  Dublin.* 

Subsequently,  I  engaged  in  extensive  general  practice  as 
Physician,  Surgeon,  and  Accoucheur.  By  a  concurrence  of 
circumstances  I  was  enabled  to  retire  from  those  laborious  en- 
gagements, and  devote  myself  to  the  more  congenial  branches 
that  my  earlier  predilections  were  in  favor  of. 

For  the  extensive  practice  I  have  enjoyed  in  this  branch 
of  Surgery  I  cannot  make  the  Public  a  more  grateful  return 
than  by  presenting  them  with  this  book. 

If  its  precepts  enable  them,  in  some  degree,  to  understand 
the  Eye,  its  imperfections,  and  their  prevention,  my  wishes  will 
be  realized,  my  object  accomplished. 


♦  I  have  heard  Dr.  Mott  state,  in  one  of  his  Lectures,  that  he  considered  the 
DubUn  Surgeons  were  unsurpassed  for  science  and  skill,  and  that  if  he  himself 
was  the  subject  of  an  aneurlsmal  affection,  he  would  immediately  embark  for  that 
city  and  placj  himself  under  the  treatment  of  the  Dublin  Surgeons. 


INTRODUCTION 


All  the  org-ans  appropriated  to  the  senses  by  which  we  are 
connected  with  the  material  world,  are  necessary  to  our  wel- 
fare and  happiness ;  but  there  is  none  so  peculiarly  essential  as 
the  organ  of  vision. 

This,  though  diminutive  in  point  of  size,  is,  iievertheless,  the 
most  important  of  them  all.  Nature  has  lavished  all  her  skill 
in  the  formation  and  protection  of  this  most  beautiful  and  ini- 
mitable work. 

Our  unbounded  admiration  must  be  excited  by  the  contem- 
plation of  the  varied  and  complicated  parts  of  which  the  Eye  is 
composed  ;  the  surprising  adaptation  of  its  mechanism  to  the 
office  intended  to  be  performed  by  it  in  the  animal  economy ; 
the  celerity  of  its  motions  ;  its  extreme  sensibility ;  the  wonder- 
ful power  by  which,  in  a  moment,  we  can  view  the  most  distant 
or  the  nearest  object,  the  lofty  mountain,  the  lowly  valley,  the 
vast  expanse  of  water,  the  starry  canopy,  the  charming  land- 
scape, with  its  rich  and  glowing  colors,  all  imaged  with  unerring 
faithfulness  on  a  surface  scarce  an  inch  in  diameter. 

The  Eye,  as  an  optical  instrument,  is  unapproachable.  No 
art  can  ever  form  its  equal.     True,  by  artificial  aid,  we  are  fur- 


JX.  INTRODUCTION. 

ther  enabled  to  penetrate  illimitable  space,  or  unravel  the  mi- 
nute secrets  of  nature,  but 

"  Why  has  not  man  a  Microscopic  Eye  1 

For  this  plain  reason— Man  is  not  a  Fly. 

Say  what  the  use,  were  finer  optics  given, 

T'  inspect  a  Mite,  not  comprehend  the  Heaven !  ^ 

God,  in  the  nature  of  each  being,  founds 

Its  proper  bliss,  and  sets  its  proper  bounds." — Pope. 

The  sense  of  vision  ever  affords  constant  and  continued 
sources  of  gratification  and  pleasure,  past  and  present.  How 
vividly  we  remember  the  scenes  and  familiar  places  of  our 
youth ;  how  lastingly  they  are  depicted 

"  In  the  mind's  eye,  Horatio." 

Be  it  our  study,  then,  to  investigate  this  brilhant  subject,  and 
ascertain  the  history  of  this  wonderful  organization. 


OPTICS. 


"  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light" 

Hail,  holy  light,  oflspring  of  heaven  first-born, 

Or  of  the  eternal  co-eternal  beam, 

May  I  express  the  unblamed  1  since  God  is  light, 

And  never  but  in  unapproached  light 

Dwelt  from  eternity,  dwelt  then  in  thee, 

Bright  efiiuence  of  bright  essence  increate ! 

Or  hear'st  thou  rather,  pure  ethereal  stream, 

Whose  fountain  who  shall  tell  ?   Before  the  sun, 

Befoi-e  the  heavens  thou  wert,  and  at  the  voice 

Of  God  as  with  a  mantle,  didst  invest, 

The  rising  world  of  waters  dark  and  deep. 

Won  from  the  void  and  formless  infinite." — Milton. 


The   science  of  vision  and  of  light,    and  its   properties  ia 
called  Optics. 

The  nature  of  light  is  still  a  disputed  point.     Some  assert 
that  it  is  a  fluid  pervading  all  space,  in  which  waves  or  undu- 


22  OPTICS. 

lations  are  produced  by  the  sun  or  luminous  body,  while  others 
contend  that'  it  consists  of  material  particles,  thrown  off  from 
the  luminous  body. 

There  are,  however,  certain  known  properties  appertaining 
to  light. 

All  bodies  are  termed  luminous,  which  on  being  heated  or 
rubbed,  possess  the  property  of  discharging  light. 

Non-luminous  bodies  have  not  this  powder  ;  they  only  reflect 
the  light  which  fails  upon  them. 

For  Example  : — If  we  light  a  candle  in  a  dark  room,  w^e  not 
only  see  the  self-luminous  body — the  candle,  but  every  thing 
else  on  which  its  rays  fall.  The  non-luminous  bodies,  as  the 
ceiling,  walls,  and  furniture  of  the  room,  become  luminous  for 
the  time,  and  they  in  their  turn  throw  off  the  light  again  in 
all  directions. 

Or,  if  we  allow  a  ray  of  light  to  enter  a  dark  room  and  fall 
on  a  sheet  of  paper,  it  becomes  luminous,  and  from  thence  the 
whole  apartment  will  be  lighted.  If  we  extinguish  the  candle  in 
the  former,  or  stop  the  entrance  of  the  ray  of  light  in  the  latter 
instance,  all  will  be  in  darkness  again. 

The  moon  and  stars  are  non-luminous  bodies,  they  but  re- 
flect the  light  of  the  sun. 

Light  is  sent  forth  in  all  directions  from  every  visible  point 
of  a  luminous  body.  If  we  hold  a  sheet  of  paper  before  the 
sun  or  a  candle,  we  perceive  there  is  no  part  destitute  of  hght ; 
it  is  entirely  covered  with  it. 

All  bodies  discharge  light  of  the  same  color  as  themselves, 
notwithstanding  the  light  being  white  which  they  receive  from 


OPTICS.  23 

the  sun.     A  green  leaf  throws  off  a  green  color ;  a  red  piece  of 
cloth  a  red  color. 

This  is  beautifully  illustrated  by  the  following  well-known 
experiment.  If  a  sheet  of  white  paper  is  held  before  a  rose 
bush,  the  color  is  as  usual  white,  but  if  the  paper  is  placed  at 
the  end  of  a  box,  enclosed  on  all  sides,  and  then  a  pin-hole  is 
made  in  the  side  opposite  to  the  paper  to  allow  the  light  to  pass 
from  the  rose-bush,  and  we  look  through  another  hole  at  the 
paper,  we  see  opposite  each  rose  a  patch  of  red  light,  and  oppo- 
site each  green  leaf  a  patch  of  green  light,  being  an  inverted 
picture  of  each  flower  and  leaf  If  we  increase  the  first  made 
aperture  the  colors  will  become  less  visible,  if  we  still  further 
increase  it  the  paper  will  resume  its  former  whiteness,  m 

Light  moves  with  inconceivable  velocity,  being  at  the  rate 
of  twelve  millions  of  miles  per  minute.  It  travels  from  the  sun 
to  our  globe  in  seven-and-a-half  minutes ;  from  the  north  to 
the  south  pole  in  the  24th  part  of  a  second. 

Light  is  composed  of  separate  parts,  each  independent  of  the 
other.  If  we  close  the  shutter  of  a  room  and  admit  the  light 
only  through  a  small  hole,  and  then  close  half  of  this,  the 
rays  which  have  passed  will  not  be  affected  by  their  separa- 
tion from  those  which  have  b'een  stopped.  If  we  further  close 
the  hole,  the  smallest  beam  which  we  then  allow  to  pass,  is 
called  a  ray  of  light. 

Rays  of  light  proceed  in  straight  lines.  This  would  have 
been  evident  during  the  last  mentioned  experiment  if  the  room 
had  been  filled  with  smoke  or  dust. 

Although  a  ray  of  light  proceeds  in  a  straight  line,  yet  if  it 
be  interrupted  it  can  be  bent.  For  instance,  a  ray  of  light 
passing  through  a  bottle,  containing  fluid  or  a  piece  of  glass, 
does  not  illuminate  a  sheet  of  paper  placed  behind  those  sub- 


24  OPTICS. 

stances  as  it  did  before.     This,  then,  is  termed  refraction,  which 
will  be  illustrated  by  the  accompanying  diagram. 


C  F&L 


A.  B.  O.  D.  represents  a  vessel  with  a  hole  at  S.  E.  ig  a 
lighted  candle  within  a  short  distance  of  it ;  then  a  ray  of  light 
E.  S.  will  pass  through  the  aperture  S.  and  go  in  a  straight 
line  toahe  bottom  of  the  vessel  at  F.  where  it  will  form  a 
small  cncle  of  light.  Mark  the  point  P.,  now  fill  with  water 
to  the  line  h.  i.,  then  the  round  spot,  before  at  P.,  is  found  at 
G. ;  the  ray  has  been  bent  at  the  point  K.,  where  it  falls  into 
the  water,  into  the  line  K.  G.  If  we  pour  in  alcohol  instead  of 
the  water,  we  will  find  the  beam  of  light  more  bent  at  K. ;  but 
if  we  substitute  a  piece  of  solid  glass  for  the  alcohol,  we  will 
perceive  it  still  more  bent,  so  as  to  form  the  line  K.  L. 

The  power  which  thus  changes  the  ray  of  light  is  called  re- 
fraction, therefore  we  say  that  a  ray  of  light  falling  in  a 
slanting  direction  upon  a  liquid  or  solid  body,  through  which  it 
can  pass,  is  refracted  by  them,  and  by  different  bodies,  in  dif- 
ferent degrees. 

') 

We  have  all  observed  that  when  an  oar  is  immersed  in  clear 
water  it  appears  crooked  or  bent  into  an  angle,  where  it  enters 
the  water.  This  appearance  is  caused  by  the  above  law  of 
refraction. 

Rays  of  light  which  approach  each  other,  as  they  advance, 
are  called  converging  rays. 


OPTICS. 


t6 


Those  which  recede  from  each  other  as  they  proceed,  are 
termed  diverging  rays.  The  point  at  which  the  former  con- 
verge is  called  its  focal  point. 

The  distance  of  the  focal  point,  from  the  refracting  surface, 

is  called  the  focal  distance. 

•< 

Glass  is  the  substance  generally  used  in  optical  instruments, 
and  in  experiments  for  refracting  the  rays  of  light.  The  fol- 
lowing figures  represent  the  different  forms  which  are  used  : 


1      2      3      456789 

1st.  A  prism.     This  is  a  solid,  having  two  plane  surfaces  in- 
clined to  one  another. 

2d.  A  plane  glass  has  two  plane  surfaces  parallel  to  one 
another. 

3d.  A  sphere  has  every  point  in  its  surface,  equally  distant 
from  a  common  centre. 


I 


4th.  A  double  convex  lens  is  bounded  by  two  convex  sphe- 
rical surfaces,  whose  centres  are  on  opposite  sides  of  the  lens. 

5th.  A  plano-convex  lens  is  bounded  by  a  plane  surface  on 
one  side,  and  by  a  convex  one  on  the  other. 

6th.  A  double  concave  lens  is  bounded  by  two  concave 
spherical  surfaces  whose  centres  are  on  opposite  sides  of  the 
lens. 

7th.  A  plano-concave  lens  is  bounded  by  a  plane  surface  on 
one  side  and  a  concave  one  on  the  other. 


26  OPTICS. 

8th.  A  meniscus  is  bounded  by  a  concave  and  a  convex 
spherical  surface,  and  these  two  surfaces  meet  if  continued. 

9th.  A  concavo-convex  lens  is  bounded  by  a  concave  and.  a 
convex  surface,  but  these  two  surfaces  do  not  meet  though  con- 
tinued. Each  of  these  various  form*  has  a  different  refractive 
power. 

The  refractive  power  of  curved  surfaces  are  those  in  ost  ge- 
nerally used  in  optics.  The  burning  glass  derives  its  power 
from  the  convex  lens  refracting  parallel  rays  to  a  focTis.  All 
the  rays  of  the  sun  (hat  fall  on  the  surface  of  the  glass  are  col- 
lected to  a  point,  and  intense  heat  is  produced.  The  rays  may 
also  be  collected  by  reflection  from  concave  looking-glasses  or 
specula.  The  great  mathematician  Archimedes,  when  his 
native  city  of  Syracuse  was  besieged  by  the  Romans,  under 
Marcellus,  it  is  said,  burned  their  entire  fleet  by  means  of 
mirrors.  The  naturalist  Buffon  set  fire  to  planks  of  wood 
at  150  feet  distance  by  the  same  means.  In  more  recent 
times  the  celebrated  burning-glass  of  Parker  produced  so  great 
a  heat  that  iron  plates  were  melted  by  it  in  three  seconds,  and 
gold  exposed  to  its  influence  was  almost  instantly  rendered 
fluid.  It  is  by  the  property  of  a  convex  lens  which  refracts 
rays  proceeding  from  its  focus  into  parallel  directions  that  light- 
houses throw  a  strong  light  to  great  distances. 

The  microscope  is  simply  a  convex  lens,  in  the  focus  of 
which  minute  objects  are  held ;  the  object  is  placed  near  the 
eye,  its  apparent  magnitude  is  increased,  and  the  rays  flowing 
from  each  of  its  points  are  refracted  into  parallel  rays,  and  the 
eye  is  thus  enabled  to  see  small  things  with  great  distinctness. 

The  magic  lantern  is  formed  by  a  plano-convex  lens  being 
fixed  in  the  tube  which  projects  from  its  front.  Behind  and 
within  the   lantern  is   a  lamp,  the  light  from  which  passes 


OPTICS. 


# 


through  the  lens  and  powerfully  illuminates  objects  painted  on 
slips  of  glass  which  are  placed  before  the  lens  in  an  inverted 
position,  and  these  images  are  received  on  a  white  sheet  or 
surface  arranged  for  the  purpose.  This  little  machine  affords 
to  young  persons  a  good  deal  of  pleasure  and  amusement. 

The  extraordinary  phenomenon  of  the  mirage  or  looming^ 
by  which  ships,  coasts,  and  mountains  seem  elevated  aboT« 
their  proper  level,  is  caused  by  an  unusual  refractive  power 
of  the  atmosphere,  produced  by  vapors  and  dense  exhalations. 

M.  Monge,  in  the  Memoires  sur  VEgypte^  states  that  when 
the  French  army  was  marching  through  the  sandy  deserts  of 
Lower  Egypt,  they  saw  various  phenomena  of  unusual  re- 
fraction to  which  they  gave  the  name  of  mirage.  When  the 
surface  of  the  sand  was  heated  by  the  sun,  the  land  seemed  to 
be  terminated  at  a  certain  distance  by  a  general  inundation. 
The  villages  situated  on  eminences  appeared  to  be  so  many 
islands  in  the  middle  of  a  great  lake,  and  under  each  village 
there  was  an  inverted  image  of  it.  As  the  army  approached 
the  boundar}^  of  the  apparent  inundation  the  imaginary  lake 
withdrew  and  the  same  illusion  appeared  around  the  next 
village. 

A  most  interesting  case  of  mirage  w^as  observed  and  de- 
scribed by  Dr.  Vince.  From  Ramsgate  the  tops  of  the  turrets 
of  Dover  Castle  are  just  visible  over  a  hill  between  Ramsgate 
and  Dover.  Dr.  Vince,  however,  on  one  occasion  saw  the 
whole  of  Dover  Castle  as  if  it  had  been  brought  over  and 
placed  on  the  Ramsgate  side  of  the  hill.  The  image  of  it  was 
so  strong  that  the  hill  itself  was  not  seen  through  the  image. 

Captain  Scoresby,  while  sailing  in  the  Greenland  Sea,  recog- 
nised his  father's  ship  when  below  the  horizon,  from  the  in- 
verted image  of  it  which  appeared  in  the  air.     He  stated  that 


28  OPTICS. 

it  was  so  well  defined  he  could  distinguish  with  his  telescope 
every  sail,  the  general  rig  of  the  ship,  and  its  particular  cha- 
racter, insomuch  that  he  confidently  pronounced  it  to  be  his 
father's  ship,  the  Fame,  which  it  afterwards  proved  to  be.  In 
comparing  notes  with  his  father  he  found  that  their  relative 
position  at  the  time  gave  a  distance  from  one  another  of 
nearly  thirty  miles,  being  about  seventeen  miles  beyond  the 
l^lprizon,  and  some  leagues  beyond  the  limits  of  direct  vision. 

The  fata  morgana,  which  is  seen  in  the  straits  of  Mes- 
sina, and  which  for  ages  puzzled  philosophers,  and  con- 
founded the  vulgar,  is  now  well  known  to  be  but  another 
instance  of  this  peculiar  refraction.  Minasi,  in  his  glowing 
description  of  it,  states  that  an  individual  standing  on  an  emi- 
nence in  the  city  of  Reggio,  with  his  back  to  the  sun,  and 
face  to  the  sea,  when  the  rising  sun  throws  his  rays  at  an 
angle  of  45^^  on  the  sea  of  Reggio,  can  perceive  upon  the 
water  numberless  series  of  pilasters,  arches  and  castles,  well  de- 
lineated; regular  columns,  lofty  towers,  superb  palaces  with 
balconies  and  windows,  villages  and  trees,  plains  with  herds 
and  flocks,  armies  of  men  on  foot  and  horseback,  all  passing 
rapidly  in  succession  on  the  surface  of  the  sea.  These  same 
objects  are  in  particular  states  of  the  atmosphere  seen  in  the 
air  though  less  vividly,  and  when  the  air  is  hazy  they  are  seen 
on  the  surface  of  the  sea  brilliantly  fringed  with  the  prismatic 
colors. 


OPTICS. 


REFLEXION  OF  LIGHT. 


Hitherto  we  have  spoken  only  of  transparent  bodies.  "WW 
have  ascertained  that  the  greater  part  of  light  is  transmitted 
through  them  according  to  certain  definite  laws — a  small  por- 
tion only  being  reflected.  But  when  light  falls  on  a  bright  or 
polished  body,  the  greater  part  of  it  is  reflected  or  driven  back, 
the  remainder  is  lost  within  the  body. 

The  bodies  which  are  generally  used  for  this  purpose  are 
mirrors,  or  specula,  commonly  made  of  metal  or  glass,  having 
their  surfaces  highly  polished.  Those  of  glass  aie  usually 
quick-silvered  on  one  side,  so  as  to  reflect  more  light.  The 
principle  of  the  formation  of  images  by  mirrors  is  precisely  the 
same  as  by  lenses. 

When  two  plane  mirrors  are  combined  in  a  particular  man- 
ner, and  placed  in  a  particular  position  relative  to  an  object,  or 
series  of  objects  and  the  eye,  they  constitute  the  kaleidoscope. 
In  order  to  give  variety  to  the  figures  formed  by  the  instrument, 
the  objects  are  placed  in  a  narrow  cell  between  two  circular 
pieces  of  glass,  leaving  them  just  room  to  move  about  while  the 
cell  is  turned  round  by  the  hand.  The  pictures  thus  presented 
to  the  eye  are,  beyond  all  description,  splendid  and  beautiful. 

We  have  as  yet  only  described  light  as  a  simple  substance  ; 
but  the  white  light  which  is  derived  from  any  luminous  body 
is,  in  reality,  composed  of  seven  different  kinds  of  light,  of 
different  colors.       ^ 


30 


OPTICS. 


Sir  Isaac  Newton  exemplified  this  wonderful  discovery  in 
this  way — 


Y  C"'' 


In  a  window  shutter  H.  G.,  of  a  dark  room,  Newton  made 
a  hole  F.  one  third  of  an  inch  broad,  and  he  placed  behind 
it  a  glass  prism  A.  B.  C,  so  that  the  beam  of  ligiit,  S.  F., 
might  enter  and  leave  the  prism  at  equal  angles.  Be- 
fore the  prism  was  so  placed,  the  beam,  S.  F.,  proceeded  in  a 
straight  hne  to  Y.,  where  it  formed  a  white  spot ;  but  being 
now  refracted  by  the  prism,  it  will  form  on  the  screen,  M.  N., 
an  oblong  image  P.  T.,  containing  seven  colors,  as  enumerated. 
The  oblong  image  is  called  the  solar  or  prismatic  spectrum ; 
and  these  rays  which  have  been  thus  separated  can  be  again 
collected  by  a  lens,  and  white  light  reproduced. 

The  compound  nature  of  white  light  can  also  be  demon- 
strated by  painting  the  rim  of  a  wheel  with  the  seven  pri^ 
matic  colors,  and  making  it  revolve  rapidly  about  its  axis  the 
colors  will  disappear,  and  white  will  alone  be  perceptible. 

The  beautiful  prismatic  colors  that  are  seen  in  rnother  of 
pearl,  have  their  origin  in  a  particular  configuration  of  its  sur- 
face. Brewster,  while  making  some  interesting  experiments 
on  this  subject,  was  surprised  to  find  that  mother  of  pearl  had 


OPTICS.  m 

the  power  to  communicate  its  colors  to  other  substances  on 
which  it  was  impressed,  as  black  wax,  isinglass,  gum  arable, 
balsam  of  tolu,  fusible  metal  and  lead,  thus  conclusively  prov- 
ing that  the  colors  are  caused  by  the  peculiar  grooves  or  eleva- 
tions and  depressions  on  the  surface  of  the  pearl. 

Barton  very  ingeniously  applied  the  principle  of  the  pro- 
duction of  color,  by  grooved  surfaces,  to  various  substances. 
He  contrived  a  machine  that  was  capable  of  cutting  grooves 
upon  steel  at  the  distance  of  from  the  2000th  to  the  10,000th 
of  an  inch.  He  afterwards  manufactured  imitation  jewels, 
buttons,  and  other  ornamental  articles  of  surpassing  beauty 
and  splendor.  To  these  he  gave  the  name  of  Iris  ornaments 
from  their  resemblance  to  the  varied  colors  of  the  rainbow. 
Nothing  in  nature  or  art  can  surpass  their  brilhant  display  of 
colors.  In  ordinary  light  these  colors  are  scarcely  distinguish- 
able, but  in  strong  light,  particularly  that  of  the  sun  or  gas, 
the  colors  shine  with  surprising  briUiancy,  and  the  play  of  tints 
which  flit  about  with  every  luminous  image  are  rivalled  only 
by  the  matchless  hue  of  the  diamond. 

The  Rainbow. — This  beautiful  phenomenon  which  we  see 
when  the  sun  is  shining,  and  the  ram  falhng  between  us  and 
the  part  of  the  horizon  where  the  bow  is  seen,  is  caused  by  the 
decomposition  of  the  v*  hite  light  of  the  sun  by  the  refraction  of 
the  drops  of  rain  and  their  subsequent  reflection  within  the 
drops.  It  consists  of  two  bows  or  arches,  extended  across  the 
sky,  and  glowing  w  ith  all  the  colors  of  the  prismatic  spectrum. 

"  Now,  overhead,  a  rainbow  bursting  through 

The  scattering  clouds,  shone,  spanning  the  dark  sea, 

Resting  its  bright  base  on  the  quivering  blue : 
And  all  within  its  arch  appear'd  to  be 

Clearer  than  that  without,  and  its  wide  hue 
Wax'd  broad  and  waving  like  a  banner  free, 

Then  changed  like  to  a  bow  that's  bent. 


SZ  OPTICS. 

It  changed  of  course ;  a  heavenly  chameleon, 

The  airy  child  of  vapor  and  the  sun, 
Brought  forth  in  purple,  cradled  in  vermillion, 

Baptized  in  molten  gold,  and  swathed  in  dun, 
Glittering  like  crescents  o'er  a  Turk's  pavilion, 

And  blending  every  color  into  one, 
Just  like  a  black  eye  in  a  recent  scuffle, 
(For  sometimes  we  must  box  without  the  muffle.)" 

Brewster  reduces  the  seven  prismatic  colors  to  three  prim- 
itive colors,  red,  yellow  and  blue. 

Each  of  the  colors  formed  by  the  spectrum  has  different 
heating  powers,  independently  of  those  of  light ;  the  blue  and 
green  being  the  coolest. 

TKermometrical  observations  have  determined  the  relative 
heating  powers  of  these  three  primitive  colors,  as  shown  in  the 
annexed  scale : 

Blue  rays 

Yellow  -  -    62  V  Fanrenheit. 

Red 

The  varied  tints  and  colors  of  objects  that  we  behold  are  not 
inherent  in  them  as  is  generally  supposed.  It  is  the  action  of 
matter  upon  light,  decomposing  it,  attracting  certain  of  the 
prismatic  colors,  and  reflecting  others,  that  produces  color. 

Most  bodies  act,  as  w^e  have  seen  the  prism,  by  dividing 
white  light  into  its  component  paijts ;  they  then  absorb,  or  they 
transmit,  certain  rays,  and  throw  back  the  remainder.  If  we 
assert  a  body  is  of  an  orange  color,  we  mean  to  say  it  reflects 
the  orange  ray.  Objects  that  are  black  absorb  all  the  colors, 
while  those  that  are  white,  reflect  them  all.  Green  cloth  ab- 
sorbs all  the  colors  but  green,  which  it  throws  back.  So  blue 
cloth  absorbs  all  the  colors  but  blue,  which  it  reflects. 


OPTICS.  33 

Recent  investigations  have  established  the  fact  that  certain 
of  tlie  prismatic  rays  possess  the  property  of  communicating 
magnetism.  A  needle  having  been  exposed  to  the  violet  rays 
for  two  hours  acquired  north  polarity.  The  indigo,  blue  and 
green,  produced  the  same  effect,  but  in  a  less  degree.  The 
yellow,  orange,  and  red  rays  appeared  to  be  destitute  of  this 
power.  Professor  Farrada}^  is  now  engaged  in  a  series  of  ex- 
periments on  this  curious  and  interesting  subject. 


FORMATION  OF  IMAGES. 

If  we  make  a  hole  in  the  shutter  of  a  room,  and  hold  a  sheet 
of  paper  a  short  distance  from  it,  an  image  of  the  objects  on  the 
outside  will  be  depicted  on  the  paper.  This  is  the  simplest 
way  in  which  images  can  be  produced. 

Or,  if  we  take  a  box  with  a  hole  in  one  end  of  it  at  A.,  as  re- 
presented in  the  Figure 


we  will  perceive  that  an  inverted  image  of  the  object  B.  C. 
will  be  formed  at  the  back  of  the  box  b.  c.  The  ra3^s  from  the 
object  B.  C.  pass  in  straight  lines  through  the  hole  A.  to  form 
the  image.  It  is  evident  the  image  must  be  upside  down, 
because  the  rays  from  the  upper  end  B.,  of  the  object  cannot 
be  bent  to  the  upper  end  of  the  image  at  c.  If  we  now  en- ' 
large  the  aperture  A.,  and  place  a  double  convex  lens  in  it, 
we  shall  have  the  image  brighter  and  more  distinct. 

3 


34  OPTICS.  -^  , 

When  the  image  b.  c.  is  received  on  a  smooth  white  surface 
at  the  back  of  the  box,  the  apparatus  is  termed  a  camera-oh- 
scura,  but  when  the  eye  is  placed  behind  the  lens  and  sees  the 
image  in  the  air,  the  instrument  is  called  a  telescope. 

The  principle  of  the  telescope  is  this  :  the  object  glass  forms 
in  its  focus  a  distinct  image,  which  though  smaller  than  the 
object,  is  yet  seen  under  a  much  greater  angle,  or  magnified, 
and  the  image  so  magnified  is  seen  under  a  still  greater  angle, 
or  still  farther  magnified  by  the  eye-glass  which  enables  the 
eye  to  see  distinctly  at  a  less  distance  than  six  inches. 

The  Daguerreotype,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  and  beau- 
tiful discoveries  of  this  age  of  inventions,  enables  us  to  fix  on 
metal  plates  the  images  derived  from  the  camera  obscura. 
This  ingenious  process  has  been  brought  to  great  perfection  in 
this  country.  The  portraits  exhibited  by  Mr.  M.  B.  Brady,  at 
his  gallery  205  Broadway,  are  especially  deserving  of  atten- 
tion. They  attract  and  command  the  admiration  of  the  artist 
and  connisseur.  He  seems  to  be  particularly  happy  in  creating 
beautiful  and  life-like  pictures,  entirely  obviating  the  ghastly 
appearance  presented  in  some  impressions.  The  modus  ope- 
randi is  very  curious:  a  piece  of  copper,  plated  with  silver,  is 
cleansed  and  polished  with  dilute  nitric  acid,  after  which  it  is 
exposed  to  the  vapour  of  iodine,  which  gives  it  a  yellow  color, 
and  upon  this  surface  the  rays  of  light  of  the  object  are  im- 
pinged by  the  camera  obscura ;  the  plate  is  then  subjected  to 
the  action  of  the  vapour  oi  mercury ;  it  is  next  washed  with  a 
solution  of  hypo-sulphate  of  soda  and  then  with  boiling  water. 
When  dry  we  have  a  perfect  picture  of  the  object  intended  to  be 
delineated,  but  without  color,  further  than  degrees  of  shade. 

By  the  introduction  of  Bromine  and  other  chemicals,  a  great 
improvement  has  recently  been  effected  in  the  ait  of  taking 
perfect  pictures,  and  the  time  of  sitting]?  now  reduced  to  a  few 
seconds. 


OPTICS.  35 

These  preparations  greatly  increase  the  sensibility  of  the 
plate  to  light,  consequently  the  contrast  between  the  white  and 
dark  places  is  more  marked.  The  application  of  Bromine 
causes  the  rapid  reception  of  the  image  on  the  plate,  and  pro* 
duces  the  deep  black  shades  of  an  object.  This  is  a  very  de- 
cided advantage,  as  the  countenance  preserves  its  natural  ap- 
pearance for  a  short  period  only,  and  becomes  constrained  and 
unnnatural  if  the  time  of  sitting  is  much  extended.  A  long 
sitting  has  also  the  effect  of  rendering  the  picture  bluish  where 
it  ought  to  be  w^hite,  and  brown  where  it  should  be  dark. 
Chloride  of  gold  is  ver}^  successfully  used  to  fix  and  enliven  the 
tints  of  a  picture.  By  the  apphcation  of  various  pigment 
powders  to  Daguerreotype  pictures,  the  appearance  of  colored 
miniatures  has  been  closely  imitated.  The  best  pictures,  it  is 
said,  are  taken  from  an  hour  after  the  sun  rises  till  he  comes 
within  45^  of  the  meridian,  and  again  after  he  has, passed  the 
meridian  by  45^. 

Photography,  Calotype,  Chrysotype,  and  Cyanotype,  are 
various  modifications  of  the  art  of  making  pictorial  impressions 
of  objects  by  the  action  of  fight  upon  paper. 

The  ray  of  light  which  is  perpendicular,  passes  straight 
through  the  lens,  while  the  lateral  rays,  passing  obliquely,  are 
converged  by  the  lens  to  their  focal  point  at  P. 


The  more  convex  the  lens  is  the  nearer  will  be  its  focal 
point,  and  the  flatter  it  is  the  greater  distance  off  will  be  the 
focus. 


86  OPTICS. 


A  double  concave  leus  refracts  rays  in  the  contrary  di- 
rection, that  is  to  say,  instead  of  coming  to  a  focus,  they 
diverge  as  they  proceed. 


Hereafter  we  shall  see  the  close  connexion  that  exists  be- 
tween the  laws  of  optics  on  which  we  have  touched  and  those 
which  govern  vision,  and  we  shall  thereby  be  the  better  enabled 
to  understand  the  causes  of  near  sight  and  far  sight,  and  tlie 
reason  why  those  imperfections  are  reUeved  by  the  use  of  con- 
cave or  convex  glasses. 

It  would  be  foreign  to  the  plan  of  this  little  work  to  have  en- 
tered more  deeply  into  this  part  of  our  subject,  but  thus  much 
was  necessary  for  its  elucidation. 


VERTICAL  SECTION  OF  THE  EYE. 


EXPLANATION, 


1.  Conjunctiva  covering  the  cornea, 

2.  Cornea,  or  clear  part  of  the  eye. 

3.  Sclerotic,  of  white  of  the  eye. 

4.  Membrane  of  the  aqueous  humour,  or  inner  lining  of  the  chamber. 

5.  Choroid,  or  vascular  coat. 

6.  Retina,  or  nervous  expansion. 

7.  CiUary  processes. 

8.  Iris,  or  colored  curtain  of  eye  with  pupil  in  csntre, 

9.  Crystaline  lens,  or  principal  magnifier. 

10.  Vitreous  humour,  forming  principle  bulk  of  eye. 

11.  Optic  nerve. 

12.  Anterior  chamber. 

13.  Posterior  chamber. 


38  ANATOMY    OF    THE    ElE. 


THE  EYE. 


Previous  to  making  any  application  to  vision  of  those  op- 
tical principles  at  which  we  have  thus  briefly  glanced,  it  be- 
comes necessary  to  give  a  short  description  of  the  Human 
Eye,  and  the  parts  composing  and  connected  with  it. 

The  Eye  is  nearly  round  in  shape,  with  a  slight  projection 
in  front — hence  commonly  called  the  eye-ball  or  globe  of  the 
Eye.  This  particular  form  is  the  very  best  that  could  be  con- 
trived to  enable  it  to  move  about  with  the  greatest  facility  and 
rapidity. 

The  Eye  consists  of  three  orders  or  classes  of  parts ; — the 
first  admit  and  modify  the  rays  of  light ;  the  second  receive 
and  carry  the  impressions  to  the  brain ;  and  the  third  keep 
those  organs  in  a  fitting  state  to  fulfil  their  functions. 

The  Eye  is  protected  on  all  sides  by  the   bony  socket,  in 
which  it  is  lodged,  except  in  front,  and  here  we  have  the  eye- 
•  lids  like  watchful  sentinels,  ever  on  the  alert,  to  guard  and 
protect  it  from  approaching  danger. 

The  Eye  is  composed  of  four  coats: — the  Sclerotic,  the 
Choroid,  the  Retina,  and  the  Cornea,  and  three  humours — the 
Aqueous,  the  Vitreous,  and  the  Chrystalline. 


ANATOMY   OP    THE    EYE.  39 

These  humours  or  lenses  are  transparent  and  very  delicate, 
and  require  to  be  protected  and  supported  by  some  strong  sub- 
stance. For  this  purpose  we  have  the  outer  coat  or  case, 
termed  the  Sclerotic^  or  the  "white  of  the  Eye."  It  is  a 
strong  and  dense  substance,  and  extends,  surrounding  the 
eye,  from  the  optic  nerve  behind  to  the  Cornea  in  front.  Here 
it  is  cut  off  and  bevelled,  so  as  to  allow  the  Coraea  to  fit  into 
it,  as  a  watch  glass  into  its  case.  The  Sclerotic  is  opaque,  it 
being  necessary  not  to  admit  any  light  except  through  the 
pupil,  just  as  the  optician  finds  it  essential  to  make  the  case 
for  his  telescope  impervious  to  hght,  and  it  is  cut  off  before 
to  allow  a  space  for  the  transparent  membrane — the  Cornea. 
We  shall  hereafter  see  that  the  muscles  which  give  motion  to 
the  ball  are  attached  to  this  case.  The  Sclerotic  in  fishes  is 
veiy  dense  and  strong  ;  and  in  many  birds  it  consists  of  three 
layers,  the  middle  one  being  formed  of  bony  plates. 

The  Cornea  is  the  clear,  poHshed  and  brilliant  substance 
that  forms  the  front  of  the  Eye.  It  is  very  tough  and  strong, 
so  as  to  protect  the  parts  within ;  and  yet  it  is  perfectly  trans- 
parent to  admit  the  rays  of  light,  which  are  here  first  refracted. 

Within  the  Sclerotic  Ues  the  Choroid,  which,  like  the 
former  is  wanting  in  front.  It  is  very  fine  and  delicate,  and 
full  of  blood  vessels.  These  secrete  a  dark  coloring  matter, 
the  Pigmentum  Nigrum,  with  which  its  entire  inner  surface 
is  coated  or  painted.  This  dark  substance  absorbs  all  the 
superfluous  rays  of  light.  It  is  wanting  in  the  Albino  and  in 
animals  of  prey.  These  cannot  see  distinctly  in  a  bright, 
strong  Hght,  but  in  darker  situations  their  eyes  concentrate  and 
reflect  the  light,  and  their  power  of  vision  is  then  much  more 
acute.  The  eyes  of  cats,  aud  such  animals,  appear  in  the 
dark  to  glow  with  a  particular  ferocity :  this  is  not  owing  to 
the  animals  being  excited,  but  is  occasioned  by  the  want  of 
this  dark  pigment.     The  Choroid,  externally,  seems  to  termi- 


W  ANATOMY    OF    THE    EYE. 

nate  in  front,  where  the  Sclerotic  and  Cornea  are  joined  to- 
gether ;  and  where  it  is  connected  with  a  white  ring  or  hga- 
raent,  but  it  extends  inwards  in  the  form  of  60  or  70  beautiful 
folds,  or  processes,  called  the  Ciliary.  These  are  arranged  in 
a  radiated  manner  around  the  lens,  on  the  front  of  the  vitreous 
humour :  each  of  these  folds  is  covered  with  the  dark  pigment, 
similar  to  the  choroid  itself. 

Interior  to  the  Choroid  is  the  Retina :  this  is  an  expansion 
of  nervous  matter  connected  with  the  optic  neiTe.  It  is  a  thin 
and  delicate  hiembrane,  which  commences  at  the  optic  nerve, 
and  extends  around  the  sides  of  the  vitreous  humour,  nearly  as 
far  forward  as  the  lens.  It  can  be  divided  into  three  la5^ers. 
The  external  or  serous  was  discovered  by  my  old  preceptor, 
Dr.  Jacob,  and  called  after  him  the  memhrana  Jacobi,  or 
membrane  of  Jacob.  It  is  extremely  delicate  and  fine.  The 
second,  or  nervous,  is  soft  and  gray ;  and  the  internal  is  vas- 
cular. The  retina  is,  as  we  have  observed  above,  the  nervous 
expansion,  and  on  it  the  inverted  image  of  the  object  we  look 
at  is  depicted,  just  as  we  have  seen  in  the  camera  obscura. 

We  have  said  the  humours  of  the  Eye  are  three  in  number — 
the  Aqueous,  Vitreous,  and  Crystalline. 

The  Aqueous  humor  is  a  clear  watery  fluid,  as  its  name 
implies ;  it  is  situated  immediately  behind  the  cornea,  which 
it  distends  and  supports.  This  fluid  passes  from  the  front  to 
the  back  chamber  of  the  eye  through  the  pupil ;  it  aids  slightly 
in  refraction.  There  is  a  beautiful  provision  made  (the  mem- 
brane of  the  aqueous  humor)  whereby  if  it  is  lost  through  a 
wound  of  the  cornea,  it  is  again  renewed  within  a  few  hours. 
The  Aqueous  humor  is  also  of  great  use  in  supporting  and  en- 
abhng  the  iris  to  float  about  with  perfect  freedom. 

The  Iris  is  the  colored  curtain  which  we  see  on  looking  into 


ANATOMY   OF    THE    EYE.  41 

the  eye.  It  derives  its  name  of  iris  or  rainbow  from  the  variety 
of  colors  it  presents.  It  is  a  flat  membrane,  circular  in  foiTO, 
with  a  round  aperture  in  the  centre :  this  is  the  black  spot, 
termed  the  pupil,  or  sight  of  the  eye.  The  iris  divides  the  eye 
into  a  front  and  back  chamber,  and  these  communicate  through 
the  central  aperture — the  pupil.  The  iris  is  very  important  to 
vision ;  it  acts  as  a  curtain,  regulating  the  quantity  of  light 
that  is  admitted  to  the  eye,  so  that  the  pupil  contracts  in 
bright  light,  and  enlarges  in  darkness  or  in  moderate  light. 
This  can  be  observed  by  sitting  opposite  to  a  mirror  and  closing 
the  eyes  for  a  few  seconds ;  then,  suddenly  opening  them,  we 
will  see  that,  in  the  interval,  the  pupil  has  become  much  en- 
larged and  now  quickly  diminishes. 

The  color  of  the  iris  varies  in  diiferent  individuals.  There 
are  some  persons  who  have  one  of  their  eyes  blue  and  the 
other  black,  and  instances  have  occurred  in  which  the 
upper  half  of  the  iris  has  been  gray  while  the  lower  part  was 
brown.  Occasionally  the  fibres  assume  an  irregular  shape  so 
as  to  give  an  appearance  remotely  resembling  the  letters  of 
the  alphabet.  A  child  was  some  time  ago  exhibited  in  France 
and  England,  on  whose  iris  it  was  stated  the  words  "  Napo- 
leon Empereur"  could  be  plainly  discerned.  A  strong  ima- 
gination, or  a  little  credulity,  perhaps,  was  necessary  to  ena- 
ble the  wonder-loving  and  the  curious  to  decipher  the  magic 
words. 

It  is  to  the  Iris  that  the  eye  owes  its  greatest  attraction. 
Poets  have  sung  of  the  beauty  of  the  black,  the  blue,  and  the 
gray.    Lord  Byron  says, — 

"  Blue  eyes,  or  gray, 
The  last,  if  they  have  soul,  are  quite  as  good, 

Or  better  as  the  best  examples  say  : 
Napoleon's,  Mary's  (Q,ueen  of  Scotland)  should 

Lend  to  that  color  a  transcendent  ray ; 
And  Pallas  also  sanctions  the  same  hue— 
Too  wise  to  look  through  optics  black  or  blue." 


42  ANATOMY    OF    THE    EYE. 

The  Chrystalline  humour  or  lens  is  a  transparent  body  of 
considerable  firmness,  having  the  form  of  a  double  convex 
lens,  and  is  placed  perpendicularly  behind  the  pupil :  it  is  im- 
bedded in  the  forepart  of  the  vitieous  humor.  The  lens  is 
the  principal  magnifier  of  the  eye. 

The  third,  or  vitreous  humor,  forms  the  main  bulk  of  the 
globe  of  the  eye,  filling  its  two  posterior  thirds;  it  is  thin  and 
watery,  but  is  contained  in  numerous  cells  which  prevent  its 
running  out  when  cut  or  woundp/^ 


ANATOMY    OP    THE    EYE.  43 


We  will  now  consider  what  provision  nature  has  made  to 
preserve  and  keep  this  beautiful  organ  in  order. 

We  have  already  alluded  to  the  protection  which  the  eye 
receives  from  the  bony  cavity  in  which  it  is  lodged.  Our 
attention  is  next  attracted  to  the  eye-lids. 

These  vigilant  guardians  protect  the  eye  from  danger,  con- 
trol the  quantity  of  light  that  is  admitted,  and  by  their  link- 
ing motion  keep  it  moist  and  bright,  and  wipe  away  dust  or 
any  extraneous  matter.  A  thin  plate  of  cartilage,  the  tarsus^ 
is  added  to  the  other  textures  that  compose  the  eyelids ;  this 
gives  them  a  proper  degree  of  firmness,  and  as  it  is  thicker 
towards  the  margin  of  the  lids  it  assists  in  supporting  the  eye- 
lashes. Near  the  edge  of  each  lid,  at  the  root  of  the  hairs,  are 
a  number  of  small  glands,  the  meibomian,  which  secrete  a  semi- 
fluid substance  that  assists  in  lubricating  the  surface  and  pre- 
venting the  tears  from  running  over  on  the  cheeks.  There  is 
a  minute  hole  at  the  inner  angle  of  each  eyelid :  these  lead  by 
small  passages  into  the  lacrymal  sac,  and  this  communicates 
with  the  nose.  When  the  eyelids  are  closed  they  form  at  their 
margin  a  channel  through  which  the  tears  pass  into  these  little 
openings  and  from  thence  into  the  nose. 

At  the  inner  angle  of  each  eye  is  a  small  reddish  body, 
termed  the  caruncula  lacrymalis ;  it  secretes  a  fluid  which 
aids  in  keeping  the  eye  moist. 


44  ANATOMY    OF    THE    EYE. 

The  eyelids  are  beautifully  fringed  with  the  Cilia^  or  eye- 
lashes ;  those  of  the  upper  lid  curve  upwards,  those  of  the  lower 
lid  downwards.  The  eye-lashes  defend  the  eye  from  dust,  and 
also  modify  the  rays  of  light ;  they  add  much  to  the  expression 
of  the  eye — 

"  In  whose  silk  shadow  lies 
Deepest  attraction,  for  when  to  the  view 

Forth-from  its  raven  fringe  the  full  glance  flies, 
Ne'er  with  such  force  the  swiftest  arrow  flew." — Byron. 

The  eyelids  are  closed  by  a  muscle  which  surrounds  the  eye, 
the  orbicularis  palpebrarum^  and  are  opened  by  the  levator 
palpebrcB,  a  muscle  which  stretches  from  the  bony  socket,  and 
is  connected  with  the  upper  lid ;  by  its  contraction  the  lid  is 
elevated. 

We  perceive  that  the  eye-brow  is  also  provided  with  hairs ; 
these  are  placed  in  an  oblique  direction,  and  prevent  the  per- 
spiration from  the  brow  running  into  the  eyes. 

The  lacrymal  gland  is  placed  under  the  fore  part  of  the 
upper  eye-lid ;  it  secretes  the  tears  which  are  poured  out  by  a 
number  of  small  ducts  over  the  surface  of  the  cornea.  This 
preserves  the  part  in  a  moist  state,  removes  dust,  or  any  thing 
which  may  accidentally  enter  the  eye,  and  prevents  the  friction 
of  the  lids  on  the  baU.  By  the  motion  of  the  lids  the  tears  are 
constantly  diffused  over  the  surface  of  the  eye. 

Next  we  observe  a  mucous  membrane  or  skin  lining  each  lid, 
and  covering  the  front  of  the  globe,  and  continued  through  the 
tear  passage  into  the  nose.  This,  which  is  termed  the  Con- 
junctiva^ joins  the  eye-lids  to  the  eyes,  supports  and  confines  the 
eye-ball  in  its  several  motions,  and  closes  the  orbit  against  any 
foreign  substance. 


ANATOMY    OF    THE    EYE.  45 


MUSCLES  OF  THE  EYE. 

We  have  now  to  speak  of  the  arrangement  for  moving  this 
instrument  in  all  directions.  There  are  six  muscles  to  eacli  eye, 
four  named  from  their  form  and  position  straight,  and  two 
oblique.  The  four  straight  muscles  are  attached  behind  to  the 
bone  around  the  entrance  of  the  optic  nerve,  and  before  to  the 
sclerotic  coat  of  the  eye,  one  above  to  elevate,  one  below  to  de- 
press ;  one  on  each  side  to  direct  the  eye  outwards  or  inwards. 
The  upper  oblique  muscle  arises  from  the  bone  behind,  and 
passing  forward  ends  in  a  round  tendon  which  plays  through 
a  pulley  and  then  bends  back  and  is  inserted  into  the  sclerotic. 
Its  use  is  to  rotate  the  eye.  From  the  peculiar  expression  of 
countenance  which  the  action  of  this  muscle  produces,  Dr.  Jacob 
very  appropriately  termed  it  the  pathetic. 

The  lower  oblique  commences  at  the  front  and  lower  part  of 
the  orbit,  and  ascending  backwards  and  outwards,  is  attached 
to  the  sclerotic ;  this  also  assists  in  the  rotary  motion.  By 
means  of  these  muscles  we  are  enabled  to  move  the  eye  in  all 
directions  with  the  greatest  facility  and  correctness. 

The  muscles  derive  all  their  motive  power  from  the  nerves, 
without  which  they  would  be  utterly  impotent.  The  optic 
nerves,  or  the  nerves  of  vision,  take  their  origin  from  the  lower 
part  of  the  brain,  and  pass  forward,  convergmg  towards  each 
other  till  they  meet,  where  they  decussate  or  cross  each  other ; 


46  ANATOMY    OF   THE    EYE. 

they  then  separate,  and  each  proceeds  forwards  aad  outwards 
to  the  back  of  the  orbit,  which  they  enter  through  a  round  hole 
in  the  bone  {the  for  amen  opticum),  and  piejcing  the  sclerotic 
and  choroid  coats,  terminate  in  the  cup-shaped  expansion — tbe 
thin  and  dehcate  retina. 

The  optic  nerves  are  not  the  only  neiTes  connected  with  vision, 
for  the  eye  and  its  surrounding  parts  are  abundantly  supplied 
with  nerves  derived  from  other  sources.  These  serve  to  give 
the  muscles  voluntary  motion,  and  some  to  assist  in  the  various 
functions  of  the  organ.  The  branches  of  the  fifth  pair  of  nerves, 
which  are  distributed  to  the  nose,  are  also  connected  with  the 
respiratory  system.  When,  therefore,  these  are  irritated,  sneez- 
ing is  produced.  We  sometimes,  on  looking  suddenly  at  the 
sun,  sneeze.  This  is  owing  to  a  small  branch  of  the  fifth  pair 
of  nerves,  which  connects  with  the  lacrymal  gland  and  the 
Schneiderian  membrane  or  the  lining  of  the  nose.  From  the 
same  cause,  if  the  tip  of  the  nose  is  pulled,  or  irritated,  the  eye 
sheds  tears. 

The  eye  is  also  very  freely  supplied  with  blood-vessels.  The 
middle,  or  choroid  coat,  is  almost  exclusively  formed  of  a  tissue 
of  blood-vessels ;  these  secrete  the  dark  pigment,  of  which  we 
have  already  spoken.  The  tortuous  course  which  the  ciliary 
arteries  pursue,  in  passing  forward  to  the  ciliary  processes,  is 
very  remarkable,  as  by  this  arrangement  no  obstruction  is 
offered  when  the  crystalline  lens  is  brought  forward  in  its  ad- 
justment to  different  distances. 


PHYSIOLOGY    OF    THE    EYE.  47 


PHYSIOLOGY  OF  THE  EYE. 


Having  now  seen  the  parts  that  compose  this  instrument,  we 
will  briefly  point  out  how  vision  is  produced.  The  convexity  of 
the  cornea  and  the  lens,  and  the  density  of  the  different  hu- 
mours, is  such  that  when  parallel  rays  of  Hght  fall  upon  the 
cornea  and  pass  through  the  pupil  they  are  brought  to  an  exact 
focus  on  the  retina,  where  an  inverted  image  is  depicted  of  the 
object  towards  which  the  eye  is  directed.  This  can  be  proved 
by  cutting  or  paring  away  a  portion  of  the  sclerotic  coat  of  the 
eye  of  an  ox,  and  holding  it  up  at  the  window,  when  we  will 
behold  an  inverted  picture  of  whatever  object  we  direct  the  eye 
towards. 

We  may  now  perceive  that  the  organ  acts  altogether  me- 
chanically, the  rays  of  hght  being  affected  by  the  humours 
through  which  they  pass,  exactly  in  the  same  manner  as  if  they 
had  been  transmitted  through  a  convex  lens. 

But  the  eye  is  greatly  superior  to  any  optical  instrument,  in- 
asmuch as  it  is  entirely  free  from  spherical  and  chromatic  ab- 
erration. 


4B  PHYSIOLOGY   OF   THE    EYE. 

The  impression  made  by  the  rays  of  light  on  the  retina  is 
conveyed  along  the  optic  nerve  which  meets  and  interlaces 
with  the  one  of  the  opposite  side,  as  exhibited  in  the  engraving. 


They  then  separate,  and  each  proceeding  to  the  brain,  vision  is 
produced. 

The  retina  retains  the  impression  of  light  made  on  it  for 
some  time  after  the  cause  has  been  removed.  This  is  proved 
if  a  burning  body  is  rapidly  whirled  around,  for  the  eye  per- 
ceives a  complete  and  unbroken  circle  of  light. 

Prom  the  same  cause  the  seven  prismatic  colors,  as  we  have 
seen,  when  painted  on  a  wheel,  and  rapidly  revolved,  assume  a 
white  color.  No  separate  color  will  be  seen,  but  the  eye  will 
receive  the  general  sensation  of  whiteness  from  the  combined 
impression  of  the  whole. 

This  pecuUarity  of  the  eye  has  been  ingeniously  used  in  the 
construction  of  the  Thaumatrope  and  other  toys.  On  a  round 
piece  of  Card  is  painted  a  carriage,  and  on  the  reverse  side  the 
driver ;  to  the  circular  card  is  attached  two  silk  strings,  when 
twisted  with  the  fingers  so  as  to  revolve  with  great  velocity  we 
see  the  coachman  in  the  attitude  of  driving,  in  other  words,  we 
see  at  the  same  time  what  is  drawn  on  both  sides  of  the  card. 


PHYSIOLOGY   OF   THE    EYE.  49 

There  is  a  curious  phenomenon  appertaining  to  the  eye,  by 
which  it  sees  accidental  colors.  If  we  close  one  eye,  and  look 
steadily  for  some  time  at  a  red  wafer  on  a  sheet  of  white  paper, 
and  then  turn  the  same  eye  to  another  part  of  the  paper,  we 
shall  see  a  green  wafer :  this  green  image  is  termed  an  ocular 
spectrum.  If  we  use  different  colored  wafers,  the  following 
will  be  the  result : — 


Black. 

White, 

White, 

Black, 

Red, 

Blueish  Green, 

Orange, 

Blue, 

Yellow, 

Indigo. 

This  peculiarity  is  caused  by  the  retina  being  unable  to  per- 
severe in  the  same  kind  of  action  beyond  a  certain  period,  and 
the  spectral  color  is  always  that  which  would  result  from  a 
union  of  all  the  prismatic  colours  except  the  one  to  which  the 
eye  had  been  previously  exposed,  and  to  the  action  of  which  it 
had  consequently  become  more  or  less  insensible. 

Doubtless,  as  an  intelligent  writer  observes,  the  harmony  of 
colors  and  the  richness  of  effect,  as  exhibited  in  pictures,  or  in 
the  arrangement  of  drapery  or  furniture,  depends  in  a  great  de- 
gree on  these  ocular  spectra,  or  accidental  or  opposite  colors,  the 
brilliancy  of  the  colors  being  much  increased  by  the  position  in 
which  they  stand  opposite  to  each  other. 

By  means  of  pressure  on  the  eye-ball,  ocular  spectra  may  be 
produced.  In  particular  states  of  the  stomach,  the  pressure  of 
blood-vessels  on  the  back  of  the  retina  often  produces  spectra ; 
in  slight  affections  these  resemble  lioating  masses  of  blue  light, 
appearing  and  disappearing ;  in  some  cases  they  become  green 
a^d  occasionally  yellow.  These  sometimes  may  have  given 
rise  to  the  behef  in  supernatural  appearances,  even  after  the 


50  PHYSIOLOGY    OP    THE    EYE. 

exciting  cause  is  removed  the  spectrum  will  often  still  remain 
visible,  and  the  mental  powers  themselves  being  perhaps  also 
weakened,  render  them  peculiarly  susceptible  of  being  affected 
by  superstition  and  credulity. 

If  the  e}^e  is  steadily  directed  to  objects  illuminated  by  a 
feeble  light,  it  causes  as  much  pain  as  is  produced  by  an  excess 
of  light,  a  kind  of  remission  takes  place  in  the  conveyance  of 
the  impressions  along  the  nervous  membrane,  the  object  actually 
disappears,  and  the  eye  is  agitated  by  the  recurrence  of  im- 
pressions which  are  too  feeble  for  the  performance  of  its  func- 
tions. Brewster  says  that  this  may  serve  to  explain  some  of 
the  phenomena  of  the  disappearance  and  re-appearance  of  ob- 
jects, and  the  change  of  shape  of  inanimate  objects,  which 
have  been  ascribed  by  the  ignorant  to  supernatural  causes,  and 
by  philosophers  to  the  activity  of  the  imagination.  If  in  a  dark 
night,  for  example,  we  unexpectedly  get  a  glimpse  of  any  ob- 
ject, either  in  motion  or  at  rest,  we  are  naturally  anxious  to 
ascertain  what  it  is,  and  our  curiosity  calls  forth  all  our  powers 
of  vision.  This  anxiety,  however,  serves  only  to  baffle  us  in 
our  attempts.  Excited  by  feeble  illumination,  the  retina  is  not 
capable  of  affording  permanent  vision  of  the  object ;  and  while 
we  are  straining  our  eyes  to  discover  its  nature,  it  will  entirely 
disappear  and  afterwards  re-appear,  and  vanish  alternately. 
The  same  phenomenan  may  be  observed  in  day-light  by  the 
sportsman  when  he  endeavours  to  mark  on  the  monotonous 
heath  the  particular  spot  where  game  has  alighted.  Availing 
himself  of  the  slightest  difference  of  tints  in  the  adjacent  heath, 
he  keeps  his  eye  steadily  fixed  upon  it  as  he  advances,  but 
whenever  the  contrast  of  illumination  is  feeble  he  invariably 
loses  sight  of  his  mark,  and  if  the  retina  is  again  capable  of 
taking  it  up  it  is  only  to  lose  it  a  second  time. 

A  singular  affection  of  insensibility  to  certain  colors,  ha» 
been  observed  in  several  cases,  where  vision  w^as  otherwise 


PHYSIOLOGY    OP    THE    EYE.  0| 

peifectj  and  it  would  seem  to  be  hereditary.  Some  can  only 
distinguish  white  and  black.  There  is  a  curious  case  related 
in  the  Edinburgh  Transactions,  of  a  tailor  who  could  only  dis- 
tinguish with  certainty  white,  yellow,  and  gray.  On  one  occa- 
sion he  repaired  an  article  of  dress  with  ciimson  instead  of  black 
silk,  and  at  another  time  he  patched  the  elbow  of  a  blue  coat 
with  a  piece  of  crimson  cloth. 

Another  case  is  recorded  where  a  naval  officer  purchased  a 
blue  uniform  coat  and  waistcoat,  with  red  breeches  to  match 
the  blue  coat. 

And  a  well  authenticated  anecdote  is  told  somewhere,  by 
Dr.  Priestley,  if  I  remember  right,  of  an  artist,  who  was  en- 
tirely unable  to  distinguish  some  colors.  He  was  therefore 
obhged  to  keep  them  in  a  certain  series  or  order,  as  the  only 
means  by  which  he  could  discriminate  between  them.  His 
companions  sometimes  amused  themselves  by  disarranging  this 
order,  and  the  unconscious  artist  would  thus  give  a  gentleman 
a  green  beard  or  moustache,  and  adorn  a  beautiful  young  lady 
with  a  pair  of  blue  cheeks. 

With  regard  to  the  apparent  magnitude  of  objects  at  a  dis- 
tance, there  is  no  doubt  we  judge  of  them  by  experience  and 
association.  We  calculate  their  apparent  size  from  what  we 
know  to  be  their  real  size,  the  distinctness  with  which  they  are 
seen,  the  vividness  of  their  colors,  the  number  of  intervening 
objects,  and  our  supposed  knowledge  of  their  distance. 

The  arts  of  landscape  and  architectural  painting,  and  still 
more  remarkably  the  science  of  perspective,  depend  entirely 
upon  the  principle  that  we  judge  of  the  size  of  objects  by  their 
distance.  If  the  artist  is  able  to  convey  to  our  minds  a  correct 
conception  of  the  position  in  which  the  different  objects  are  sup- 
posed to  stand  with  respect  to  each  other,  we  immediately  con- 


52  PHYSIOLOGY    OF   THE    EYE. 

ceive  of  them  as  presenting  the  size  that  they  actually  possess, 
without  any  relation  to  the  space  which  they  occupy  on  the 
canvass. 

In  blind  persons  the  sense  of  touch  supplies  many  of  the  im- 
pressions which,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  are  produced 
by  sight.  The  bHnd  will  sometimes  estimate,  with  considerable 
correctness,  the  size  of  apartments.  This  knowledge  the}^  ac- 
quire by  attending  to  the  force  of  the  reverberation  which  is 
produced  from  the  walls,  and  it  depends  upon  their  comparing 
the  effect  thus  produced  upon  the  ear,  in  the  case  under  consi- 
deration, with  their  previous  experience  in  similar  circum- 
stances. 

With  regard  to  Singleness  of  Vision^  we  observe  that  when 
both  eyes  are  directed  to  an  object,  a  separate  image  is  formed 
upon  each  retina ;  yet  the  mind  forms  only  the  conception  of 
one  object.  This  is  invariable,  except  where  disease  or  acci- 
dent prevents  the  eyes  from  moving  in  concert — as  in  delirium 
and  intoxication.  When  the  usual  train  of  associations  is  in- 
terrupted, double  vision  is  sometimes  produced.  In  such  cases 
the  eyes  do  not  move  in  a  parallel  direction,  and  consequently, 
the  impressions  are  not  made  on  corresponding  parts  of  the 
retina. 

The  eye,  when  in  a  state  of  repose,  is  adjusted  to  remote  ob- 
jects. When  we  wish  to  view  near  objects,  we  use  a  volun- 
tary exertion,  by  which  we  bring  forward  the  crystalline  lens, 
and  thus  we  perceive  how  admirable  is  the  organization  by 
which  the  eye  instantaneously  adapts  itself  to  every  degree  of 
distance. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  EYE. 


We  shall  now  proceed  to  give  a  short  description  of  the 
Diseases  of  the  Eye. 

Ophthalmia^  which  is  derived  from  the  Greek  ^<pBa\nia,  sig- 
nifies an  inflammation  of  the  conjunctiva  covering  the  eye  and 
Uning  the  hds.  It  is  a  disease  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  is 
caused  by  exposure  to  cold  or  damp,  to  intense  heat  or  brilHant 
light,  to  dust  or  any  extraneous  substance  that  irritates  the  eye. 
It  is  also  occasioned  by  the  general  state  of  the  health,  and 
some  persons  have  a  pecuhar  tendency  to  this  affection. 

Symptoms. — One  of  the  earhest  sensations  is  a  feeling  as  if 
sand  or  dust  was  lodged  in  the  eye.  This  is  occasioned  by  the 
blood-vessels  being  swollen  and  larger  than  usual,  and  causing 
with  every  motion  of  the  eyelids  considerable  friction.  The 
eye  presents  the  red  appearance  commonly  termed  "  bloodshot." 
Exposure  to  light  is  painful;  there  is  an  increased  flow  of 
tears,  and  sometimes  pain  in  the  temple  and  head. 

In  some  cases  the  disease  is  shght  and  disappears  by  simple 
means  ;  in  others  it  extends  to  the  adjoining  parts  of  the  eye, 
and  the  sight  is  greatly  injured  or  perhaps  entirely  destroyed — 
thus  indicating  the  necessity  of  attention  to  the  sliglitest  attack, 
as  such  untoward  consequences  may  result  from  neglect. 

Treatment. — In  mild  cases,  aperients,  abstinence  from  sti- 
mulants, and  either  warm  or  cold  applications  as  is  most  agree- 


^ 


DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE. 


able  to  the  patient's  feelings,  is  all  that  will  be  required.  A 
soothing  warm  application  may  be  made  by  boiling 

2  oz.  of  Poppy  heads  in  one  pint  of  water, 

or, 
20  grs.  of  extract  of  opium  may  be  dissolved  in  half 

a  pint  of  warm  water,  and 
2  oz.  of  spirits  of  Mindererus  added  thereto. 

Lay  a  piece  of  flannel,  wrung  out  of  either  of  these  pre- 
parations over  the  eye  and  brow,  and  change  it  frequently  so  as 
to  maintain  the  soothing  and  beneficial  effect. 

10  grs.  of  sugar  of  lead. 
Half  a  pint  of  cold  water,  and 
Half  oz.  of  vinegar. 

will  make  a  suitable  cold  lotion.  A  single  fold  of  linen  cloth,  sa- 
turated in  this  solution,  must  be  laid  over  the  eye  and  frequently 
changed.  Never  apply  poultices  or  compresses  to  the  eye  ;  they 
increase  the  heat  and  inflammation,  and  prevent  a  free  circu- 
lation of  air  around  the  eye.  If  the  hght  is  hurtful  to  the 
eyes  wear  a  shade,  or  remain  in  a  room  where  the  light  is  par- 
tially or  entirely  excluded. 

If  the  attack  is  severe,  it  may  be  necessary  to  bleed  both 
from  the  arm  and  locally.  Should  the  disease,  however,  pro- 
gress to  this  state,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  consult  an  ocu- 
list, as  it  may  rapidly  extend  and  cause  irremediable  injury. 

Cases  have  occurred  where  both  eyes  were  totally  destroyed 
in  twenty-four  hours  although  the  attack  was  not  accompanied 
by  much  pain. 


DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE.  55 

CHRONIC  OPHTHALMIA. 

The  acute  form  frequently  degenerates  into  the  chronic. 
This  also  arises  very  gradually  and  almost  imperceptibly  from 
any  of  the  causes  mentioned  in  the  last  chapter ;  from  tumours 
within  the  eye,  granular  lids,  or  from  the  eye-lashes  growing 
inwards. 

Symptoms. — The  blood-vessels  have  lost  their  natural  tone, 
are  enlarged  and  distended ;  the  eye  is  weak  and  watery,  and 
there  is  more  or  less  irritation.  The  lids  frequently  are  glued 
together  in  the  morning  by  a  discharge  of  adhesive  matter  that 
accumulates  during  sleep. 

The  treatment  must  be  directed  to  the  removal  of  the  cause, 
and  the  strengthening  of  the  debilitated  vessels.  For  the  lat- 
ter purpose 

Take  2  grs.  of  sulphate  of  copper, 
1  oz.  of  water. — Mix, 
or, 
4  grs.  sulphate  of  zinc, 
1  oz.  of  rose  water. — Mix. 

Drop  one  or  two  drops  of  either  of  these  into  the  eye,  night 
and  morning,  and  apply  before  going  to  bed  a  small  portion  of 
the  following  salve  to  the  edges  of  the  lids : — 

1  dr.  of  citrine  ointment, 
3  dr.  fresh  hog's  lard. — Mix. 

Before  applying  the  remedies  night  and  morning,  wash  off 
with  a  little  tepid  water  and  a  linen  cloth  any  matter  that  has 
collected  about  the  roots  of  the  eye-lashes.  This  should  be 
carefully  and  completely  done,  otherwise  the  applications  will 
not  reach  the  affected  parts.  After  washing,  as  above,  use 
the  eye-water ;  carefully  dry  the  eyes  with  a  piece  of  linen, 


00  DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE. 

and  then  with  the  finger  mb  the  salve  gently  but  thoroughly 
into  the  hds  and  the  roots  of  the  eye-lashes. 

If  these  remedies  do  not  produce  the  desired  effect  the  pa- 
tient must  seek  further  advice. 


EGYPTIAN  OR  PURULENT  OPHTHALMIA. 

This  is  the  most  severe  and  frightful  form  of  inflammation  of 
the  conjunctiva.  It  is  rapid  in  its  progress,  and  destructive  in 
its  effects. 

Symptoms. — All  the  symptoms  enumerated  in  simple  oph- 
thalmia are  here  more  intense,  and  the  eyelids  become  enor- 
mously swollen,  and  then  its  characteristic  discharge  com- 
mences. This  is  a  thick,  yellow,  sometimes  greenish  matter, 
which  is  poured  out  in  considerable  quantities. 

I  will  not  allude  to  the  treatment  of  this  dreadful  affection, 
because  immediate  recourse  must  be  had  to  a  skilful  ocuhst. 
Prompt  and  energetic  treatment  will  alone  preserve  vision. 

In  certain  other  affections  matter  is  sometimes  conveyed  to 
the  feye  by  the  finger  or  otherwise.  Hence  the  necessity  of 
great  caution  to  prevent  so  direful  a  result,  for  the  disease 
thus  communicated  is  as  severe  and  generally  more  destructive 
than  Egyptian  Ophthalmia,  and  requires  fully  as  energetic 
treatment. 


DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE.  67 


PURULENT  OPHTHALMIA  IN  INFANTS. 

This  disease  frequently  attacks  children  in  the  first  few 
days  or  weeks  of  their  existence.  Some  swelling  of  the  lids  is 
observed,  also  a  little  discharge  of  matter,  and  after  sleeping 
the  lids  adhere  together.  As  these  symptoms  often  come  on 
without  any  violence  the  mother  thinks  it  is  "  a  mere  cold  in 
tlie  eyes,"  and  applies  a  little  breast-milk  or  some  simple  appli- 
cation. This,  sometimes  is  all  that  is  necessary,  but  such  cases 
require  watching,  as  they  may  suddenly  assume  a  violent  form, 
then  the  lids  become  greatly  tumefied,  and  even  turned  out, 
the  discharge  profuse,  and  indecisive  remedies  are  not  used  the 
little  sufferer  will  probably  have  both  eyes  destroyed.  The 
destructive  character  which  this  disease  so  often  assumes  can- 
not be  too  generally  known. 

Case. — A  lady  called  on  me  with  her  babe  to  ascertain  if 
any  thing  could  be  done  to  restore  its  sight.  She  stated  that 
shortly  after  its  birth  the  eyes  became  tender  and  sore ;  this  she 
supposed  to  be  the  effect  of  cold.  The  attendant  physician 
prescribed  a  lotion ;  the  disease  gradually  became  worse,  swell- 
ing of  the  eyeUds,  and  a  profuse  discharge  of  matter  took  place, 
the  result  was  total  destruction  of  both  eyes  ;  one  protruded  be- 
tween the  lids,  the  other  was  completely  sunk.  I  had  only  to 
communicate  to  the  afflicted  mother  the  sorrowful  intelligence 
that  vision  was  irreparably  lo§t. 

Two  months  subsequently  this  lady  again  called  on  me  with 
a  request  that  I  would  immediately  visit  the  newly-born  baby  of 
an  acquaintance,  that  was  attacked  as  her's  had  been.  She 
said  she  had  been  visiting  at  the  house,  and  knowing  the  dread- 
ful nature  of  the  disease,  and  the  necessity  of  prompt  action, 


1^  DISEASES    OP    THE    EYE. 

she  hastened  to  have  immediate  assistance.     1  at  once  acceded 
to  her  wishes  and  found  the  following  case : 

Jane  B ,  194  Franklin-street,  aged  ten  days,  was  attacked 

with  inflammation  in  the  eyes  four  days  since,  shortly  after 
her  return  from  being  baptized  at  church  on  a  very  cold  day. 
When  I  saw  her,  the  lids  of  both  eyes  were  enormously  swollen, 
everted,  and  the  lining  membrane  intensely  red ;  the  discharge 
of  matter  profuse,  with  general  uneasiness  and  distress.  I  had 
some  difficulty  in  exposing  the  eyes  for  examination.  On  doing 
so,  however,  I  found  the  cornea  of  each  eye  already  implicated, 
ulceration  having  taken  place.  Energetic  treatment,  and  strict 
attention,  enabled  me  to  save  both  eyes,  but  I  feel  assured  that 
if  this  lady  had  not,  from  her  own  sad  experience,  known  the 
danger  of  delay,  and  if  active  treatment  had  not  been  resorted 
to  at  the  moment,  the  result  would  have  been  total  loss  of 
vision. 

This  disease  being  contagious,  the  greatest  cleanliness  and 
caution  must  be  used  to  prevent  the  contact  of  any  of  the  mat- 
ter with  the  eyes  of  the  attendants.  Always  wash  the  hands 
after  dressing  the  affected  eyes,  and  avoid  drying  them  with  the 
towel  used  for  the  child. 


Inflammation  of  the  eyes,  accompanying  or  following  small 
pox,  measles,  or  scarlet  fever,  must  be  treated  according  to  the 
nature  of  the  attack,  and,  if  severe,  requires  the  attention  of 
the  experienced  practitioner  to  prevent  deformity  or  loss  of 
vision. 


DISEASES    OP    THE    EYE. 


GRANULAR  LIDS. 


In. this  affection  the  lining  membrane  of  the  Hds  is  raised  by 
in-egular  little  piojections,  and  presents  a  rough  appearance 
mstead  of  the  smooth  polished  surface  of  health.  It  is  gene- 
rally the  result  of  some  long-continued  inflammation,  and  it 
keeps  up  a  constant  degree  of  pain  and  irritation  by  the  friction 
which  is  caused  when  the  lids  are  moved  over  the  eye.  This 
produces  chronic  ophthalmia;  opacities  form  on  the  cornea, 
blood-vessels  shoot  over  it,  and  if  the  disease  is  not  removed 
blindness  will  ensue. 

Treatment, — In  addition  to  the  local  applications  used  or 
operations  performed  by  the  oculist  for  the  removal  of  the  gra- 
nulations and  the  prevention  of  the  tendency  which  exists  to 
their  reproduction  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  attend  to  the 
general  state  of  the  health.  The  diet  must  be  carefully  regu- 
lated and  ought  to  be  nutritious,  where,  as  is  generally  the 
case,  the  patient  is  debilitated ;  change  of  air,  exercise,  tonics, 
the  bath,  protection  from  changes  of  weather,  and  rest  or  mo- 
derate use  of  the  eye,  all  tend  to  promote  the  recovery  and  pre- 
vent a  relapse. 

This  complaint,  if  neglected,  becomes  very  intractable,  and 
requires  a  lengthened  course  of  treatment  before  a  cure  can  be 
accomphshed.  Frequently  the  nature  of  the  disease  is  not  sus- 
pected by  the  practitioner,  and  this  proves  the  necessity  of  a 
thorough  examination  of  the  inside  of  the  lids  before  announc- 
ing the  name  and  character  of  a  disease  or  undertaking  its 
treatment. 

Case. — Mr.  T.  R ,  Atlantic-street,  Brooklyn,  had  in- 
flamed eyes  for  twelve  months  ;  he  was  unable  to  attend  to  his 
business.     His  physician  bled,  cupped,  leeched,  and  physicked 


50  DISEASES    OP    THE    EYE. 

him,  and  prescribed  various  eye-waters.  His  constitution  was 
greatly  debilitated,  without,  of  course,  his  disease  being  in  the 
slightest  degree  mitigated.  The  affection  could  not  have  been 
understood,  as  the  inside  of  the  lids  had  never  been  examined, 
and  Mr.  R.  himself  had  no  idea  of  the  existence  of  those  granu- 
lations. Three  months  after  he  came  under  my  charge  he  was 
enabled  to  resume  business,  and  in  nine  months  he  was  per- 
fectly cured. 

Case. — Mrs.  B ,  Bloomingdale,  presented  herself  with 

granulations  of  the  lids  of  the  worst  description.  No  treatment 
had  been  then  adopted.  In  six  weeks  the  granulations  have 
nearly  disappeared,  and  a  manifest  improvement  of  the  eyes 
has  taken  place.  I  relate  this  case  to  show  that  the  cure  pro- 
gresses much  more  rapidly  if  the  disease  has  not  been  tampered 
with,  and  allowed  to  become  confirmed 


PTERYGIUM,  FROM  rrt^nv,  A  WING. 

This  is  the  name  of  a  reddish  triangular  substance  that  ge- 
nerally grows  from  the  inner  corner  of  the  eye,  though  not 
always.  Its  point,  or  apex,  is  invariably  towards  or  extending 
over  the  clear  part  of  the  eye,  while  its  base  is  on  the  white 
of  the  eye.  It  is  always  triangular  in  shape ;  it  may  re- 
main stationary  for  a  considerable  period,  but,  if  it  extends, 
it  soon  impairs  the  sight  and  produces  nebulee  on  the  transpa- 
rent cornea,  and  vision  is  ultimately  lost  if  the  disease  is  not 
removed,  to  effect  which  an  operation  is  generally  necessary. 
This  is  accomplished  in  a  few  seconds,  without  pain,  and  the 
patient  requires  no  confinement  afterwards. 


DISEASES    OP   THE    EYE.  61 

Case. — Mr.  C ,  mate  of  the  "  Celia,"  embarked  for 

Charleston  two  hours  after  I  removed  the  Pterygia  from  both 
eyes,  and  assumed  his  duties  onboard.  On  his  return  he  called 
on  me  and  stated  that  he  had  not  had  the  slightest  trouble,  and 
that  both  eyes  had  speedily  got  quite  well. 


INFLAMMATION  OP  THE  SCLEROTIC  COAT. 

The  white  of  the  eye  is  sometimes  attacked  with  inflamma- 
tion, but  generally  in  gouty  or  rheumatic  persons.  The  blood- 
vessels have  a  pinky  hue  from  their  being  deep  seated,  and  the 
sclerotic  presents  a  heavy  leaden  color.  The  pain  is  of  an 
aching,  dull  character,  similar  to  rheumatism,  the  patient  is 
worse  at  night  and  easier  in  the  morning.  There  is  consider- 
able irritation  and  fever,  and  great  uneasiness  in  the  different 
motions  of  the  eye  ball.  The  remedies  used  in  rheumatism 
and  gout,  and  those  required  in  simple  inflammation  must  be 
adopted. 


THE  CORNEA. 


The  Cornea,  or  clear  part  of  the  eye  is  subject  to  difl^erent 
diseases.  These  are  veiy  important,  for  if  its  transparency  is 
impaired,  vision  is  intercepted  or  entirely  prevented. 

Inflammation  is  sometimes  communicated  from  the  conjunc- 
tiva, or  it  arises  in  the  cornea  itself. 


tW  DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE. 

Symptoms. — The  cornea  loses  its  natural  lustre  and  appears 
cloudy  and  smoky,  is  frequently  covered  with  small  ulcers, 
and  becomes  red  in  appearance  ;  in  addition  to  which  the  symp- 
toms of  ordinary  ophthalmia  are  present.  This  disease  must 
be  treated  with  great  care  and  attention,  or  the  eye  may  be 
lost. 

Treatment. — The  course  to  be  pursued  in  affections  of  this 
nature  is  similar  to  that  recommended  in  Ophthalmia  or  in- 
flammation of  the  conjunctiva. 


ULCERS  OP  THE  CORNEA. 

These  are  caused  by  the  last  mentioned  disease,  and  also  by 
mechanical  or  chemical  substances.  When  the  ulcers  spread 
on  the  surface  the  transparency  of  the  cornea  is  destroyed. 
When  they  proceed  deeply  they  penetrate  the  eye,  the  aqueous 
humour  escapes,  the  iris  protrudes,  and  even  the  lens  and  vit- 
reous humour  may  be  discharged,  completing  the  destruction  of 
the  entire  organ. 

These  cases  are,  if  skilfully  attended  to  from  the  commence- 
ment, speedily  and  easily  controled,  but  if  neglected,  or  inju- 
diciously treated,  great  danger  is  to  be  apprehended. 

Case. — Miss  S.  W ,  14  Dover-street,  had  an  attack  of 

inflammation  of  cornea  of  right  eye.  For  several  months  she 
applied  various  eye-waters  ;  vision  became  gradually  indistinct ; 
finally  she  could  not  see  at  all  with  the  affected  eye.  When 
she  was  placed  under  my  care  a  penetrating  ulcer  of  the  cornea 
existed.  I  was  enabled  to  restore  the  eye  in  a  short  period,  and 
the  cornea  returned  to  its  original  transparency.     If  she  had 


DISEASES    OP    THE    EYE.  63 

pursued  the  former  course  of  treatment  for  a  short  time  longer, 
the  eye  must  have  been  inevitably  lost. 

Case. — Miss  A.  F ,  164  Essex-street,  for  two  years  la- 
bored under  strumous  ophthalmia.  This  ultimately  caused 
several  ulcers,  which  extended  over  the  cornea.  She  was  in 
this  state  when  presented  to  me  ;  great  intolerance  of  Jight  ex- 
isted, and  prostration  and  delicacy  of  constitution,  and  a  total 
inability  to  hold  up  her  head  or  open  the  eyes.  Under  a  proper 
course  of  treatment  she  has  perfectly  recovered.  If  this  case 
had  gone  on  a  httle  longer  vision  would  have  been  for  ever  ob- 
scured. 

Case. — Mr.  T.  McN ,  154  Leonard-street,  had  ulcers 

extending  over  cornea.  The  disease  commenced  two  weeks 
before  he  applied  for  rehef  In  ten  days  his  eyes  were  perfectly 
cured. 

Case. — Mr.  C.  McD ,  WiUiam-street,  was    suffering 

under  a  penetrating  ulcer  of  cornea  ;  it  began  six  days  previous 
to  his  seeking  advice,  and  was  cured  in  one  week. 

These  cases  are  related  to  exhibit  the  necessity  and  advan- 
tage of  early  application.  In  the  former  cases  long-continued 
sufferings  were  endured  and  complete  blindness  narrowly  es- 
caped ;  while  in  the  latter  instances,  by  prompt  attention,  but 
little  inconvenience  was  experienced,  and  a  cure  speedily  ac- 
complished. 


64  DISEASES  OP  THE  EYE. 

NEBULA  AND  OPACITIES  OR  SPECKS. 

Nebula,  so  called  from  the  cloudy  appearance  of  the  trans- 
parent part  of  the  eye,  is  occasioned  by  inflammations  and  ul- 
cerations. Nebulae  are  superficial ;  opacities  are  deep-seated 
and  present  a  dense  and  peaii-like  appearance.  Either  obstruct 
or  prevent  vision.  To  cause  their  removal  the  inflammation 
must  be  subdued  and  the  absorbents  excited ;  opacities  must 
never  be  removed  by  any  operation  with  the  knife.  A  judicious 
course  of  treatment  will  entirely  or  partially  remove  them  even 
in  many  cases  which  are  pronounced  incurable. 

Case. — Mr.  J.  C ,  comer  of  Pearl  and  Water-street, 

Brooklyn,  was  co7npletely  blind  for  two  years  from  opacities. 
He  had  been,  during  all  this  period,  under  the  care  of  several 
eminent  physicians,  who  pronounced  the  case  hopeless.  Not- 
withstanding, he  has  now  perfectly  recovered,  and  has  been 
enabled  to  attend  to  his  occupation  as  a  painter,  without  the 
loss  of  a  single  day  for  the  last  twelve  months. 

Case. — Louis  S ,  aged  six  years,  son  to  Captain  S. 

of  the  brig  "  Adela,"  was  afflicted  since  his  infancy  with 
opacities,  which  had  latterly  much  increased,  greatly  obscuring 
vision.  He  had  been  under  the  care  of  several  physicians. 
After  two  months  treatment,  vision  was  completely  restored 
and  the  specks  removed. 


STAPHYLOMA. 

Prom  CTa<pv\ii,  A  Grape. 

In  this  disease  the  cornea  projects  between  the  lids  in  the 
form  of  a  whitish,  pearly,  conical  tumour.  It  originates  from 
severe  ophthalmia,  and  is  a  frequent  consequence  of  small- 


DISEASES   OF    THE    EYE.  66 

pox.  The  sight  is  totally  lost.  The  exposure  of  the  eye-baU 
to  the  air  and  dust  is  a  constant  source  of  irritation,  and  often, 
through  sympathy,  disease  is  produced  in  the  sound  eye.  It  is 
sometimes  necessary  to  perform  an  operation  to  relieve  the  pa- 
tient, and  prevent  the  other  eye  from  being  affected  The 
globe  will  then  diminish  in  size,  so  as  to  allow  an  artificial  eye 
to  be  worn. 


INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  IRIS, 

This  disease  is  termed  Iritis. 

Symptoms. — The  ordinary  symptoms  of  inflammation  are 
present,  and  in  addition  some  that  are  peculiar  and  mark  the 
complaint.  The  pupil  is  contracted  and  irregular  in  shape, 
and  loses  its  bright  black  color  ;  a  thin  cobweb-like  substance 
may  be  perceived  on  looking  through  it.  This  becomes  opaque, 
and  sometimes  there  are  pustules,  and  a  discharge  of  matter 
takes  place  into  the  chamber  of  the  eye.  On  the  surface  of 
the  eye  blood-vessels  are  obseiTcd  running  in  straight  lines 
towards  the  cornea,  but  suddenly  disappearing  when  they  are 
close  to  it,  thereby  leaving  a  white  ring  surrounding  the  margin 
of  the  cornea ;  external  to  which  is  a  pink  zone  formed  by  the 
vessels  as  they  penetrate  the  white  of  the  eye  to  proceed  to  the 
Ills. 

The  treatment  of  this  affection  must  be  decisive  and  ener- 
getic. General  and  local  blood-letting,  the  proper  administra- 
tion of  mercury  or  turpentine,  and  the  application  of  Bella- 
donna, are  the  principle  means  to  be  relied  on.  The  extract  of 
Belladonna  must  be  rubbed  on  the  outside  of  the  eyelids  and  on 

5' 


66  DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE. 

the  brow  and  temple,  and  some  of  it  spread  on  a  piece  of  old 
linen  and  laid  over  those  parts.  It  should  be  frequently  changed 
as  the  object  of  it  is  to  keep  the  pupil  constantly  dilated,  and 
thus  prevent  its  fixed  contraction  or  entire  closure,  or  its  adhe- 
sion to  the  lens,  which  is  otherwise  almost  certain  to  ensue.  A 
much  more  elegant  application  is  now  prepared,  as  recom- 
mended by  Dr.  Wilde,  of  Dublin,  for  the  purpose  of  dilating 
the  pupil,  being  a  solution  of  Atropine,  which  alkali  is  the  nar- 
cotic principle  of  Belladonna  or  Deadly  Night-shade. 

There  are  few  diseases  which  have  a  more  rapid  tendency  to 
destroy  vision  than  Iritis,  If  not  speedily  subdued  adhesions 
are  formed  between  the  iris  and  the  lens ;  the  pupil  becomes 
immovable  and  contracted  or  obUterated,  or  the  lens  becomes 
opaque  and  the  patient  is  blind. 

Cdse. — ^Mr.  F.  T ,  Church-street,  was  attacked  with 

Iritis  of  the  left  eye.  A  physician  attended  him  for  six 
weeks  :  at  the  end  of  that  time  he  consulted  me  ;  the  pupil  was 
then  adherent,  contracted  and  irregular,  and  the  capsule  of  the 
lens  opaque. 

Case. — Mr.  C.  S ■ — ,  72   WiUiam-street,  was  attacked 

with  violent  Iritis.  He  immediately  placed  himself  under  my 
charge,  and  was  perfectly  cmed  in  ten  days. 

Case. — Mr.  F.  S. — ,  mate  of  ship  "  Kalio,"  presented 

himself  with  Iritis  of  three  days  standing,  and  was  well  in  a 
week. 

There  is  another  species  of  Iritis  which  arises  from  a  specific 
cause  and  requires  specific  treatment. 


DISEASES    OP   THE    EYE. 


CLOSTCD  PUPIL. 


When  Iritis  has  been  neglected  or  not  properly  treated, 
tlie  pupil  becomes  obliterated  or  closed.  If  the  retina  is  un- 
affected considerable  vision  may  be  regained  by  forming  an  ar- 
tificial pupil.  This,  however,  being  accomplished  by  an  opera- 
tion, does  not  need  explanation  here. 


CATARACT. 

From  Karap^acrao),   To  Confound  or  Disturb. 

When  the  Crystalline  lens  or  its  capsule  becomes  affected 
with  opacity,  the  disease  is  termed  cataract. 

The  Crystalline  humour  with  its  capsule  is  situated  in  the 
axis  of  the  pupil,  and  being  in  its  natural  state  perfectly  trans- 
parent, the  rays  of  light,  as  we  have  before  seen,  pass  through 
it  to  reach  the  retina ;  but  if  it  has  lost  its  transparency  and 
become  opaque,  the  function  of  the  eye  is  necessarily  inter- 
rupted or  entirely  prevented,  as  the  luminous  rays  cannot  be 
transmitted  through  it  to  the  interior  of  the  eye-ball.  Of 
course  the  degree  of  blindness  is  in  proportion  to  the  density 
of  the  obstmcting  medium.  While  the  rays  of  light  are  ca- 
pable of  penetrating  even  partially  through  the  affected  lens 
the  disease  is  termed  an  incipient  cataract.  In  this  stage  the 
sight  is  only  impaired,  but  when  the  opacity  is  such  as  to  ex- 
clude the  rays  altogether,  the  individual  being  able  merely  to 
distinguish  Hght  from  darkness,  or  at  most  the  indistinct  out- 
Jines  of  objects,  the  disease  is  said  to  be  mature  or  complete. 


68  DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE. 

Cataract  is  strictly  a  local  affection,  occupying  but  a  minute 
portion  of  the  organ  of  vision,  and  causing  blindness  without 
necessarily  implicating  any  other  texture. 

There  are  three  distinct  species  of  this  affection,  the  hard, 
the  soft,  and  the  capsular.  Cataract  is  sometimes  hereditary, 
and  no  age  is  exempt  from  it ;  generally  its  progress  is  very 
slow,  and  it  mostly  arises  without  any  apparent  cause,  al- 
though sometimes  produced  by  inflammation,  blows  and 
wounds  of  the  eye. 

Symptoms. — At  the  commencement  there  is  a  slight  sense 
of  weakness  or  imperfection  of  vision,  together  with  a  settled 
cloud,  which  serves  to  obscure  all  objects  and  confuse  those 
that  are  minute,  and  these  symptoms  are  seldom  preceded  by 
any  pain  or  uneasiness.  The  apparent  cloud  and  indistinctness 
continues  unaltered  so  long  as  the  patient  remains  in  the  same 
situation  and  degree  of  light,  but  as  the  opacity  generally  com 
mences  in  the  centre  of  the  lens,  he  is  enabled  to  see  better  to- 
ards  evening  or  in  a  moderate  light,  or  with  his  back  to  the  win- 
dow than  otherwise,  as  under  such  circumstances  the  pupil  is  en- 
larged and  he  can  see  through  the  outer  circumference  or  the 
part  of  the  lens  that  still  remains  transparent ;  and  from  the 
same  cause  he  can  discern  objects  that  are  on  either  side  better 
than  those  that  are  placed  directly  opposite  to  him.  The  flame 
of  a  candle  does  not  appear  distinct  and  clear  as  formerly,  but 
as  if  surrounded  with  a  whitish  circle  or  vaporous  halo.  The 
individual  often  becomes  near-sighted  and  concave  glasses  are 
for  a  time  serviceable. 


l^he  mist  or  cloud  is  constantly  before  the  eyes,  ob- 
jects seem  enveloped  in  it,  and  vision  is  indistinct ;  then  an  opa- 
city or  speck  can  be  observed  in  the  centre  of  the  pupil  and 
behind  it.  The  crystalline  lens  has  lost  its  transparency,  and 
the  pupil  instead  of  being  jet  black,  presents  an  opaque,  yellow 


DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE.  69 

ish  or  pearl-colored  appearance.  As  the  opacity  increases,  the 
sight  becomes  more  dim,  and  vision  is  better  in  a  moderate 
than  in  a  strong  light,  of  a  dark  than  of  a  bright  day.  Finally, 
the  disease  progresses,  until  the  patient  can  only  distinguish 
light  from  darkness. 

The  exact  nature  and  the  precise  part  aflfected  in  cataract, 
whether  of  the  lens  itself,  or  the  posterior,  or  anterior  surface 
of  its  capsule,  can  now  be  ascertained  by  the  beautiful  Catop- 
tric experim.e}it  of  Purkinje  of  Breslau,  and  this  is  done 
simply  by  holding  a  lighted  candle  before  the  eye.  The  de- 
monstration depends  upon  the  images  of  the  candle  reflected 
by  the  eye,  for  their  number  and  peculiarity  indicate  the  seat 
of  the  disease. 

Fortunately  for  mankind  this  disease  is  susceptible  of  relief. 
We  observed,  when  speaking  of  the  lens,  that  it  was  the  prin- 
cipal refractor  of  the  eye.  If,  however,  it  becomes  opaque  and 
obstructs  vision  it  can  be  displaced  or  entirely  removed,  and 
its  loss  supplied  by  an  external  substitute,  namely,  a  double 
convex  lens  or  cataract  glass. 

There  are  then  three  operations  for  the  cure  of  cataract ;  one 
by  extraction  or  removing  the  entire  lens,  and  this  is  the  princi- 
pal ;  another  by  couching,  depressing  or  pushing  the  lens  out 
of  the  axis  of  vision  ;  and  the  third  and  last,  and  safest,  is  by 
breaking  up  the  cataract  with  needles.  Each  of  these  is  adapted 
to  the  peculiarity  of  the  individual  case. 


70  DISEASES   OF   THE   EYE. 


AMAUROSIS. 


Amaurosis,  derived  from  the  Greek  dfiavp6o}  to  darken  or  ob- 
scure, is  the  term  appUed  to  a  total  or  partial  loss  of  vision, 
arising  from  an  affection  of  the  nervous  structure  of  the  eye. 

This  disease  is  produced  by  congestion,  inflammation,  sym- 
pathy with  other  organs,  by  debility,  exposure  to  veiy  bright 
light,  over  exertion  of  the  eyes,  particularly  on  minute  ob- 
jects, as  sewing,  engraving,  reading,  &c.,  by  injuries  to  the 
eye  or  brain,  by  narcotics  and  intemperance,  by  particular 
articles  of  food,  intestinal  irritation,  and  various  other  causes. 
It  is  generally  very  slow  in  its  progress,  although  at  times 
the  attack  is  immediate,  as  when  caused  by  injury  or  sun- 
stroke. 

Symptoms, -^li  is  sometimes  considerably  advanced  before 
the  patient's  suspicions  are  aroused,  for  it  often  arises  with- 
out any  known  cause,  and  the  eye  itself  presents  very  little 
change  in  its  appeai^ance.  The  more  prominent  symptoms 
are  gradual  obscurity  and  impairment  of  vision ;  objects  at 
first  looking  misty  or  confused,  in  reading  the  letters  are  not 
defined,  but  run  into  each  other ;  sometimes  greater  or  lesser 
portions  of  objects  are  indistinguishable ;  again  they  are  seen 
double ;  occasionally  the  object  has  to  be  held  in  a  particular 
direction  before  it  can  be  seen,  and  an  effort  is  made  to  throw 
the  image  on  a  part  of  the  retina  not  affected,  causing  Stra- 
bismus or  squinting.  There  is  an  appearance  of  numerous 
insects  or  substances,  like  pieces  of  cobweb,  interposed  between 
the  object  and  the  eye. 

The  illusive  appearance  of  dark  moving  spots  or  motes 
floating  in  the  air,  gradually  increases,  some  as  if  flying  before 
the  eyes  in  greater  or  lesser  numbers,  often  suddenly  ascending 


DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE.  7^ 

and  as  quickly  descending.  Sometimes  the  appearance  of 
branches  or  hairs,  or  a  perfect  network  is  presented ;  flashes 
of  hght  are  evolved,  vision  becomes  more  and  more  indistinct, 
there  is  frequently  pain,  giddiness,  or  a  sense  of  heaviness  in 
the  brow  or  temple. 

The  appearance  of  the  eye  is  not  much  changed,  but  the  pupil 
is  mostly  dilated  and  motionless,  though  sometimes  it  is  of  the 
usual  size,  or  even  smaller  than  natural,  and  the  iris  active. 
Amaurosis  is  the  most  complicated,  and  for  its  cure  requires 
the  most  scientific  treatment  of  all  the  affections  to  which  the 
eye  is  subject. 

It  is,  however,  in  the  patients  own  power  to  contribute  to- 
wards a  cure,  by  adopting  so  far  as  practicable  the  hygeian 
rules  and  suggestions  specified  in  the  section  of  this  Treatise 
that  relates  to  the  Preservation,  Improvement,  and  Restoration 
of  Vision.  Indeed,  without  a  careful  pursuance  of  such  a 
course  on  his  part,  all  the  efforts  of  the  oculist,  however  well 
directed,  may  be  entirely  fruitless. 

It  behoves  all  persons  to  be  prompt  in  seeking  advice 
when  they  perceive  any  of  the  earlier  symptoms  or  indica- 
tions of  this  disease.  When  the  eyes  are  easily  fatigued  in 
reading  or  sewing,  so  that  after  application  for  a  little  time  one 
cannot  distinctly  see  the  letters  or  work,  without  stopping  or 
frequently  closing  the  eye-lids  to  refresh  the  sight  as  it  were. 
When  floating  black  spots,  or  motes,  or  hairs,  are  observed 
constantly  before  the  eyes,  it  is  time  to  be  warned.  Amaurosis 
Is  much  more  easily  checked  at  this  early  period  than  in  its 
Inore  advanced  state.  If  the  eyes  become  suddenly  com- 
pletely amaurotic,  or  bhnd,  from  injury  or  exposure,  they 
are  often  more  under  control  than  old  neglected  cases,  be- 
cause they  attract  and  receive  immediate  attention. 


72  DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE. 

Case. — Mr.  R ,  superintendent  of  an  extensive  iron- 
foundry  in  this  city,  after  looking  at  a  large  mass  of  molten 
iron,  suddenly  discovered  that  he  completely  lost  the  sight 
of  his  left  eye,  which  was  the  one  he  had  particularly  di- 
rected to  the  burning  liquid.  For  three  weeks  he  suffered 
considerable  uneasiness,  and  a  deep-seated  pain  in  the  eye-ball. 
He  then  came  under  my  care.  The  uneasiness  and  all  the 
other  symptoms  were  speedily  subdued,  and  vision  is  now  being 
steadily  restored  after  two  months  treatment. 

Case. — Mr.  McL — ,   3  Hanover  street,  suffered  from 

Amaurosis  for  six  months  before  he  consulted  me.  He  could 
not  read  for  any  length  of  time,  especially  with  candle  light ; 
had  a  heavy  dull  pain  in  the  eyes  and  brow,  and  was  con- 
tinually annoyed  with  floating  specks  moving  in  all  directions 
before  his  eyes.  He  assiduously  pursued  the  course  of  treat- 
ment suggested  for  four  months,  at  the  termination  of  which 
period  his  eyes  were  completely  restored  to  their  natural  state. 

Case. — Mr.  H.  L ,  278  Water-street,  had  an  attack  of 

Amaurosis  during  a  voyage  to  China  and  back.  Vision  was 
imperfect,  and  all  the  other  symptoms  present.  On  his  return 
he  consulted  me ;  in  three  montlis  one  eye  was  entirely  re- 
stored, the  other  much  improved.  Here,  we  observe,  it  took  a 
much  longer  period  to  subdue  the  disease  in  the  two  latter 
cases  than  in  the  former  one,  although  in  these  the  blindness 
was  only  partial,  while  in  the  former  it  was  complete. 

The  eye-ball  is  also  subject  to  other  diseases,  and  to  some 
that  are  truly  frightful,  as  Fuiigus  Hcematodes,  or  bleeding 
fungus  and  Cancer.  It  is  needless  to  relate  the  symptoms  or 
treatment  of  those  deploj  able  complaints. 


DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE.  73 


AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  EYELIDS. 

The  eyelids  are  subject  to  different  diseases,  which  not  only- 
are  troublesome  in  themselves,  but  frequently  cause  serious  in- 
jury to  the  eye  itself,  even  to  the  total  loss  of  vision. 


PSOROPHTHALMU. 

This  is  an  inflammation  of  the  Tarsus,  forming  the  lid  ;  the 
conjunctiva  lining  the  lid,  the  meibomian  glands  and  the  roots 
of  the  eye-lashes  are  generally  all  implicated. 

Causes. — Some  persons  have  a  peculiar  susceptibility  for 
this  affection  ;  it  also  often  occurs  after  measles  and  the  other 
diseases  incidental  to  childhood  ;  is  caused  by  exposure  to  cold 
or  heat,  and  by  artificial  light. 

Symptoms. — There  is  an  itching  sensation  in  the  eye-hds, 
and  a  discharge  of  glutinous  matter,  which  causes  the  lids  to 
adhere  after  remaining  in  contact  during  sleep.  Light  is  some- 
times disagreeable,  the  eyes  are  suffused  with  tears,  and  the 
Uds  present  a  red  unpleasant  appearance. 

Treatment. — Apply  the  simple  remedies  suggested  in  chro- 
nic ophthalmia.  If  the  disease  does  not  yield  to  this  treatment, 
professional  advice  must  be  sought. 


fA 


DISEASES    OP    THE    EYE. 


TRICHIASIS. 

rrarndpl^,  The  Hair. 

This  is  the  term  appHed  where  the  Cilia  or  eye-lashes  have 
a  tendency  to  grow  in  towards  the  ball  of  the  eye.  This  af- 
fection causes  considerable  irritation  and  inflammation  of  the 
eye.  If  this  peculiarity  is  slight  extraction  of  the  inverted  hairs 
may  be  sufficient  for  its  removal ;  but  if  it  recurs  surgical  as- 
sistance will  then  be  necessary. 


ENTROPIUM. 

From,  ivrpiircaj  to  turn  in. 

This  is  a  turning  in  of  either  eye-lid,  but  the  lower  is  most 
frequently  affected.  It  produces  a  much  greater  degree  of  irri- 
tation and  inflammation  than  Trichiasis,  or  the  simple  grow- 
ing in  of  the  hair,  often  causing  extensive  opacities  of  the  cor- 
nea, and  thereby  producing  total  bhndness.  This  is  a  disease 
that  can  be  treated  only  by  the  surgeon. 


ECTROPIUM. 

Prom  'eKrpciro)  to  turn  out. 

This  affection  is  exactly  the  reverse  of  the  last  described, 
the  eye-Ud  being  turned  outwards,  but  as  in  the  former  case, 
the  lower  lid  is  the  one  most  frequently  affected ;  it  presents  a 
very  hideous  and  unpleasant  aspect  and  must  receive  scientific 
treatment  for  its  removal. 


DISEASES    OP   THE    EYE.  75 


HORDEOLUM. 


This,  which  is  commonly  termed  stye^  is  a  itile  tumour  near 
the  edge  of  the  eye-lid,  which  usually  comes  to  a  head,  and  is 
generally  very  painful.  If  not  far  advanced,  and  there  be  a 
probability  of  putting  it  back,  an  aperient  and  a  cold  lotion  will 
be  the  most  likely  means  to  accomplish  this  end. 

If  matter  is  forming  in  it,  warm  applications  and  poultices 
are  the  proper  means  to  be  used. 

There  are  also  various  other  small  tumours  formed  in  the 
eye-lids  which  frequently  require  surgical  assistance. 


NiEVI  MATERNI. 

Mother's  spots,  congenital  marks  or  stains,  attributed  to 
fright  or  the  imagination  of  the  mother.  There  are  various 
methods  of  removing  those  unsightly  affections ;  the  ophthal- 
mic suigeon  will  decide  what  is  appropriate  in  each  particular 
case. 


PTOSIS. 

From,  itiitTu^  to  fall  down. 

When  the  eye-lid  hangs  down  over  the  eye,  the  disease  is 
called  Ptosis.     This  drooping  of  the  upper  lid  is  caused  by  a 


76  DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE. 

relaxation  or  redundancy  of  the  skin,  or  by  a  paralysis  of  the 
muscle  that  elevates  the  lid.  It  must  be  treated  according  to 
its  origin.  In  the  former  case  an  operation  is  generally  requisiie ; 
in  the  latter,  bathing  the  parts  with  cold  water,  rubbing  the  eye- 
lids and  brow  with  a  stimulating  appHcation,  together  with  the 
shower-bath  and  tonics,  are  the  simplest  means  to  restore  the 
tone  of  the  parts. 


FISTULA  LACHRYMALIS, 

Or  stoppage  of  the  tear-passage,  is  caused  by  a  thickening  or 
slight  obstruction  of  the  tear-passage,  which  prevents  the  tears 
passing  readily  into  the  nose ;  the  eye  presents  a  watery  ap- 
pearance, especially  when  exposed  to  the  wind  or  cold,  and  the 
tears  run  over  the  cheek.  Stoppage  of  the  tear-passage,  even 
in  this  early  stage  of  the  disease,  is  a  very  unpleasant  affection. 

In  a  more  advanced  stage  of  this  disease  there  is  a  swelling 
near  the  inner  angle  of  the  eye,  and  at  the  root  of  the  nose,  ac- 
companied by  pain  and  redness :  this  som3times  subsides  when 
proper  meahs  have  been  resorted  to ;  at  other  times  it  termi- 
nates by  forming  matter  ;  this  is  either  evacuated  by  an  opera- 
tion, or  bursts  of  its  own  accord,  and  the  tumour  diminishes 
often  times  leaving  a  permanent  obstruction  of  the  tear-passage, 
and  continuing  a  discharge  of  matter  through  the  little  tear 
opening  ;  occasionally  it  leaves  a  fistulous  opening  in  the  skin 
through  which  the  matter  and  tears  are  discharged.  Frequent 
attacks  of  inflammation  recur,  with  a  repetition  of  all  the  symp- 
toms before  enumerated.  These  cases  are  very  distressing  to 
the  patient  and  require  skill  and  experience  on  the  part  of  the 
practitioner  for  their  management. 

Treatment. — If  acute  inflammation  exists  leeches  should  be 


DISEASES    OP    THE    EYE.  77 

applied  near  the  inner  comer  of  the  eye  and  afterwards  either 
warm  fomentations  or  cold  lotions,  according  to  the  feelings  of 
the  patient.  The  Antiphlogistic  regimen  must  be  adopted,  and 
gentle  laxatives  prescribed.  If  the  affection  has  become  chronic 
we  must  endeavour  to  improve  the  mucous  membrane  of  the 
tear  passages  by  the  use  of  astringent  lotions  and  the  state  of 
the  entire  system  by  attention  to  diet,  regular  exercise,  change 
of  air,  and,  when  required,  occasional  laxatives,  alteratives,  or 
tonics.  The  patient  should  frequently  empty  the  sac  towards 
the  nose,  by  pressing  with  the  finger  at  the  inner  angle  of  the 
eye.  If,  however,  the  disease  is  so  far  advanced  as  to  be  be- 
yond the  control  of  those  or  other  remedial  agents,  it  then  be- 
comes necessary  for  the  oculist  to  introduce  a  style  in  order  to 
sdlow  the  tears  a  free  passage  into  the  nose. 


STRABISMUS— SaUINTING, 

Or  cross  eyes,  is  an  affection  so  apparent,  as  to  require  but 
little  explanation. 

The  eye  may  be  directed  upwards,  downwards,  externally, 
or  towards  the  nose,  and  this  latter  is  the  most  frequent  de- 
formity. This  affection  is  attributed  to  various  causes,  as 
measles,  and  all  the  diseases  of  children,  falls  or  blows,  the 
custom  of  looking  at  the  nose,  the  position  in  which  the  baby 
has  lain  in  the  cradle,  teething,  worais,  or  indigestion,  imitating 
others  that  have  been  so  afflicted,  opacities  of  the  tornea,  want 
of  sensibility  of  parts  of  the  retina,  water  or  pressure  on  the 
brain,  fits,  (fcc,  (fcc. 

Occasionally  it  is  remittent  in  its  character,  the  eyes  at  times 
being  straight  and  again  crooked.     It  is  therefore  necessary  to 


^  ,  DISEASES    OP    THE    EYE. 

ascertain  the  origin  of  each  affection  before  commencing  its 
treatment.  Many  cases  of  Strabismus  arising  from  some  of 
the  above  causes,  are  perfectly  under  the  control  of  judicious 
medical  treatment,  but  in  some  cases  that  cannot  be  relieved 
by  those  means,  varied  mechanical  contrivances  have  been 
tried  with,  however,  but  little  success. 

We  now  come  to  speak  of  one  of  the  triumphs  of  modern 
surgery,  the  operation  for  the  cure  of  strabismus,  first  dis- 
covered by  Diffenbach,  of  Vienna,  and  since  performed  on 
thousands  of  patients  both  in  Europe  and  in  this  country  with 
greater  success  and  safety  than  probably  any  other  operation 
in  the  whole  range  of  ophthalmic  surgery.  The  operation  is 
trifling  in  itself,  although  important  in  its  results,  is  attended 
with  Httle  or  no  pain,  sometimes  with  scarcely  the  loss  of  one 
drop  of  blood,  and  is  accompUshed  in  a  few  seconds. 

The  operation  consists  in  dividing  the  contracted  muscle 
which  confines  the  eye  in  a  wrong  direction.  This  operation 
ought  only  to  be  performed  by  the  experienced  oculist,  as  the 
worst  consequences  may  be  caused  by  a  bungling  operator. 
The  successful  operation  not  only  restores  the  eye  to  its  proper 
position,  but  also  causes  a  great  improvement  of  vision,  inas- 
much as  the  axis  of  the  eyes  becomes  symmetrical. 

Squinting  certainly  produces  an  unpleasant  sinister  expres- 
sion of  countenance,  for  we  "  outer  barbarians,"  have  not  yet 
arrived  at  the  civilization  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Celestial 
Empire,  who,  with  a  pecuhar  obliquity  of  taste,  prefer  the 
slanting  eye  to  the  straight.  Descartes,  too,  the  great  philo- 
sopher, preferred  persons  with  a  squint ;  this  fancy  is  said  to 
have  originated  from  his  having  been  in  love  with  a  lady  in 
his  earlier  days  who  possessed  this  peculiarity. 

Most  frequently,  however,  such  a  defect  is  very  detrimental 
to  the  business  prospects  and  happiness  of  individuals. 


DISEASES   OF   THE    EYE.  79 

Case. — Mr.  H.  F -,  72  Front-street,  a  young  gentle- 
man from  the  West,  stated  that  in  consequence  of  this  un- 
pleasant defomiity  he  was  unable  to  obtain  a  situation.  I 
operated  on  him ;  his  eyes  became  perfectly  straight,  and  he 
afterwards  got  employment  without  difficulty. 

Case, — Miss  E.  C 's, — ,  case  was  precisely  si- 
milar to  the  last,  both  with  regard  to  difficulty  of  procuring  a 
situation  before  the  operation  and  subsequent  success. 


60 


INJURIES   AND   ACCIDENTS. 


INJURIES  AND  ACCIDENTS, 


The  eye  is  subject  to  various  accidents  from  mechanical  and 
chemical  causes.  Among  the  former  may  be  enumerated  in- 
juries from  dust,  sand,  insects,  rail-road  sparks,  emory,  steel, 
iron-filings,  chips  of  wood  and  stone,  explosion  of  detonating- 
caps,  bursting  of  soda-water  bottles,  and  from  many  other  sub- 
stances which  are  frequently  driven  with  great  force  into  the 
eye. 

Chemical  injuries  are  produced  by  lime,  fused  metals,  scald- 
ing water,  concentrated  acids,  and  such  like,  coming  in  contact 
with  the  eye. 

When  a  foreign  substance  is  propelled  into  the  eye,  however 
lE^iute  the  particle,  it  causes  considerable  uneasiness ;  the  tears 
flow  copiously  as  if  to  wash  away  the  irritating  substance,  the 
eye  becomes  bloodshot  and  painful,  particularly  if  the  particle 
is  beneath  the  upper  eye-lid,  because  this  is  denser  and  more 
bound  down  on  the  eye  than  the  other,  and  the  constant  mo- 
tion of  the  eye-lid,  in  winking  and  moving  over  the  eye,  causes 
by  its  friction  great  distress. 

If  the  substance  is  not  sharp,  and  has  not  been  propelled 


INJURIES    AND    ACCIDENTS.  81 

with  much  force,  it  is  in  general  easily  removed,  particularly  if 
not  under  the  upper  eye-lid,  with  the  finger  or  by  means  of  a 
camel's  hair  pencil;  but  sharp  particles  driven  against  the  eye 
with  great  force,  often  penetrate  the  conjunctiva,  or  ihe  cornea, 
and  require  to  be  skilfully  removed,  as  they  are  very  liable  to 
be  driven  further  in  by  clumsy  attempts  for  their  extraction. 
If  inflammation  should  occur,  or  have  already  been  excited,  re- 
course must  be  had  to  the  usual  remedies  in  such  cases. 

When  the  eye  has  been  injured  or  wounded  more  extensively, 
the  best  plan  is  simply  to  close  the  eye-lids,  and  retain  them  in 
this  position  by  means  of  a  strip  or  two  of  adhesive  or  court- 
plaister,  until  further  advice  can  be  obtained. 

Injuries  resulting  from  lime  or  mortar  require  the  speedy  re- 
moval of  the  offending  substance  ;  and  as  in  cases  where  scald- 
ing water  has  been  the  cause  of  injury,  oil  should  be  introduced 
between  the  lids.  It  is  surprising  what  a  severe  injury  may  be 
sometimes  inflicted  on  the  eye,  and  yet  Avith  care  the  organ  be 
preserved. 

Case. — Mr.  H.  D— ,   150  Fulton-street,  had  the  entire 

front  of  his  eye  lacerated  by  the  bursting  of  a  soda-water  bottle, 
the  cornea  being  cut  completely  across  so  that  the  aqueous 
humour  ran  out,  and  yet  I  was  enabled  to  preserve  the  eye  and 
restore  vision. 

Case. — Master  A.  W ,  Brooklyn,  had  his  eye  cut  en- 
tirely open  with  a  pen-knife,  his  brother's  hand  shpping  while 
cutting  mint  in  the  garden,  and  suddenly  striking  up  with  con- 
siderable force.  He  was  promptly  brought  to  me  and  his  eye 
has  been  saved. 

Case. — Mr.  T.  T ,  Canal-street,  Kad  scalding  water 

thrown  in  his  eyes.  I  was  immediately  called  to  see  him  and 
was  successful  in  preventing  any  unpleasant  result. 

6 


INJURIES    ANN    ACCIDENTS. 


ECCHYMOSIS  OR  BLACK  EYE. 

This,  which  in  armorial  parlance,  has  been  designated  the 
"  rowdy's  coat  of  arms,"  is  a  misfortune  that  the  most  dignified 
are  not  exempt  from.  An  accidental  blow,  a  leech-bite,  or  the 
sting  of  an  insect,  will  cause  it. 

Treatment. — The  object  is  to  prevent  the  effusion  of  blood 
as  much  as  possible,  therefore  cold  apphcations  should  be  con- 
stantly and  freely  applied  when  the  accident  first  occurs.  I  do 
not  think  the  application  of  leeches  necessary  or  beneficial,  un- 
less inflammation  is  present ;  they  will  not  prevent  the  black- 
ness, and  they  frequently  cause  it :  to  hasten  the  removal  of 
the  blackness,  an  ointment  of  the  hydriodate  of  potass,  in  the 
proportion  often  grains  to  one  ounce  of  hog's-lard,  may  be  used, 
or  an  infusion  of  arnica  flowers  and  rosemary,  two  drachms  of 
each  to  half  a  pint  of  wine,  may  be  applied.  If  there  is  much 
effusion  of  blood  it  should  be  evacuated  with  a  lancet. 


BITES  OF  MUSaUITOES  OR  OTHER  INSECTS 

Sometimes  create  considerable  swelling  and  inflammation  of 
the  eye-lids,  completely  closing  the  eyes  and  rendering  it  im- 
possible to  open  them  without  causing  a  good  deal  of  pain. 

Treatment. — If  the  sting  of  the  insect  still  remains  in  the 
wound  it  should  be  carefully  extracted.  Bathe  the  part  with 
spirits  of  camphor,  or  a  solution  of  brandy  and  salt ;  and  after- 
wards, if  necessary,  a  cold  lotion  may  be  applied. 


ARTIFICIAL    EYES.  83 


ARTIFICIAL  EYES. 


Those  persons  who  have  unfortunately  lost  an  eye,  will  ex- 
perience great  comfort  and  advantage  in  having  an  artificial 
eye  inserted. 

These  beautiful  imitations  of  the  natural  eye  are  constructed 
of  enamel ;  in  front  they  assume  the  form  and  appearance  of 
the  eye,  and  being  only  a  shell  hollow  behind,  fit  over  the  re- 
mains of  the  lost  eye. 

There  is  a  great  difference  in  the  quality  and  finish  of  artifi- 
cial eyes.  Some  are  positively  superb  gems  of  art,  their  manu- 
facture having  reached  the  highest  degree  of  perfection.  The 
colors  of  the  iris  are  beautifully  depicted,  and  the  shape  and  bril- 
liancy of  the  cornea  is  admirable.  The  closest  observer  can 
seldom  detect  them,  particularly  as  they  move  with  precision 
and  in  accordance  with  the  natural  eye,  for  the  stump  or  lost 
eye  may  be  observed  to  change  its  direction  in  correspondence 
with  the  sound  eye,  as  its  muscles  are  still  perfect,  and  the  ar- 
tificial substitute  accurately  fitting  over  the  stump  its  motions 
are  communicated  to  it ;  in  addition  to  which  it  receives  a  fur- 


84  ARTIFICIAL    EYES. 

ther  impulse  from  the  folds  of  the  conjunctiva  and  the  eyeUds^ 
and  is  thus  enabled  to  move  in  conformity  with  the  unaffected 
eye. 

Artificial  eyes  are  not  only  useful  in  improving  the  appear- 
ance and  expression  of  the  entire  countenance,  they  also 
protect  the  cavity  from  dust  or  extraneous  matter,  exclude 
the  cold  air,  support  the  hds  and  prevent  their  wasting  and 
closing.  They  thus  render  essential  service  to  the  healthy  eye 
which  otherwise  often  suffers  by  sympathy  with  the  exposed 
socket. 

The  method  of  introducing  and  removing  them  is  quite  sim- 
ple and  is  effected  without  an  operation  or  the  slightest  pain. 

If  there  be  great  sensibility  or  irritation  about  the  cavity  it  is 
necessary  to  use  some  means  to  remove  these  before  inserting 
the  eye.  A  smaller  one  may  be  used  at  first  and  the  size  gra- 
dually increased. 

The  artificial  eye  should  be  withdrawn  at  night,  carefully 
washed  and  put  up  in  a  box  containing  cotton.  In  winter 
tepid  water  ought  to  be  used,  as  the  sudden  transition  from  the 
warm  socket  to  cold  water  might  injure  it.  The  socket  itself 
should  be  bathed  with  cold  water  after  the  removal  of  the  eye 
at  night  and  previous  to  its  introduction  in  the  morning. 

It  is  really  astonishing  the  profound,  and  in  some  quarters 
culpable  ignorance  that  exists  respecting  the  eyes.  The  reader 
has  ascertained,  from  the  description  which  I  have  just  given 
of  the  artificial  eye,  that  it  depends  on  the  sunk  eye  for  its  sup- 
port and  motion,  and  he  will  be  horrified  to  leain  that  a  physi- 
cian extirpated  the  remains  of  an  eye  to  prepare  the  patient,  as 
he  said,  for  an  artificial  one ;  not  alone  subjecting  the  unfortu- 


ARTIFICIAL     EYES.  85 

nate  person  to  a^  severe  an  operation,  but  utterly  precluding  the 
possibility  of  his  ever  after  wearing  one. 

I^his  occurrence  it  is  really  shocking  to  think  of.  The  fol- 
lowing case,  which  is  related  in  a  Parisian  journal,  and  its  at- 
tendant circumstances,  are  highly  ludicrous: — 

A  curious  cause  has  just  come  before  the  Juge  de  Paix  of 
Neuilly.  Some  time  ago,  Madame  Pluyette,  a  widow  lady  of 
50,  but  who  still  attaches  much  importance  to  personal  appear- 
ance, had  the  misfortune,  in  playing  with  a  lap-dog,  to  receive 
from  it  so  severe  a  wound  in  one  of  her  eyes,  as  to  entirely  de- 
stroy it.  Having  heard  much  of  artificial  eyes,  and  being  re- 
commended to  apply  to  an  expert  manufacturer  in  this  way, 
named  Tamisier,  she  gave  an  order  for  one,  for  which  M. 
Tamisier  charged  her  lOOf.  Refusing  to  pay  this  charge  the 
manufacturer  summoned  her  before  the  Juge  dePaix.  Madame 
Pluyette  having  appeared,  holding  the  artificial  eye  in  her 
hand,  the  Juge  de  Paix  asked  her  why  she  refused  to  pay  the 
bill  which  M.  Tamisier  had  sent  in  ? 

"  For  a  very  good  reason,"  replied  the  defendant,  '•  I  can  see 
no  more  with  it  than  I  could  before." 

''  What !"  exclaimed  the  Juge  de  Paix,  "  did  you  really 
imagine  that  you  would  be  able  to  see  with  an  artificial  eye?" 

"  Did  I  think  so?"  retorted  the  angry  dame — "Certainly  I 
did.  Will  you  be  so  good  as  to  tell  me  what  eyes  are  for, 
but  to  see  with?  I  ordered  the  eye  for  use,  and  until  M. 
Tamisier  makes  me  one  with  which  I  can  see,  I  wnll  not  pay 
him  a  sou.  I  wear  a  wig,  which  is  quite  as  useful  as  natural 
hair ;  I  have  three  false  teeth,  which  answer  as  well  as  those 
which  I  have  lost ;  and  why  should  I  pay  for  an  eye  which  is 
of  no  use  ?" 


^ 


ARTIFICIAL    EYES. 


Tlie  Juge  de  Paix  endeavored  to  convince  Madame  Pluyette 
that  artificial  eyes  were  for  others  to  look  at,  and  not  for  the 
wearer  to  look  from  them ;  but  finding  all  appeals  to  her  reason 
of  no  avail,  he  condemned  her  to  pay  the  plaintiff  the  amount 
of  his  demand. 

When  the  defendant  heard  the  decision,  she  became  furious 
with  anger,  and  after  dashing  her  artificial  eye  on  the  floor,  she 
rushed  out  of  court  amid  the  laughter  of  the  crowd. 


4DVICE    TO    PATIENTS.  87 


ADVICE  TO  PATIENTS. 


Patients  ought  to  be  very  particular  where  they  procure  their 
medical  preparations,  as  they  are  frequently  adulterated  and 
rendered  entirely  inert.  The  oculist  who  has  his  patients'  wel- 
fare in  view,  and  his  own  reputation  at  stake,  ought  to  be  par- 
ticular with  regard  to  the  strictly  pure  and  genuine  quality  of 
his  medicines,  and  should  not  disdain  himself  to  perform  the 
necessaiy  pharmaceutical  manipulations  for  their  preparation. 

In  other  branches  of  science  no  one  considers  it  degiading 
that  the  experimentor  should  prepare  his  own  apparatus.  Sir 
Isaac  Newton  ground  his  own  glasses.  Sir  William  Herschell 
made  his  own  telescopes.  Sir  John  Herschell  blackens  his 
fingers  with  nitrate  of  silver,  which  he  dissolves  for  the  sake  of 
studying  the  chemical  action  of  the  rays  of  hght.  Mr.  Farraday 
cuts  out  and  gilds  pith  balls  to  serve  as  electrometers,  and  pastes 
on  glass  slips  of  tinfoil  to  act  as  conductors  of  electricity.  The 
Earl  of  Rosse  did  not  disdain  to  take  a  share  in  the  manual 


$||  ADVICE    TO    PATIENTS. 

labor  of  casting  and  grinding  his  monster  spectrum.  Neither 
of  these  great  men  has  thought  it  beneath  his  dignity  to  stoop 
to  the  work  of  a  turner,  a  wire-drawer,  a  smith,  a  glass- 
blower,  or  an  operative  chemist;  or  that  he  tarnished  his 
scientific  reputation  by  soiling  his  hands,  his  face,  or  his  hair, 
with  dust,  smoke,  acids,  or  filings,  for  the  sake  of  insuring  the 
eventual  success  of  any  scientific  experiment  in  which  he  was 
engaged.  On  the  contrary,  the  labor  they  have  bestowed  on 
their  apparatus  is  universally  recognized  as  one  of  their  claims 
for  respect.  In  the  medical  prof ession^  on  the  other  hand,  the 
false  standard  of  dignity  which  has  been  established,  enables 
the  man  v/ho  merely  writes  out  on  a  sHp  of  paper  a  prescription 
for  his  patient,  and  trusts  its  composition  to  the  hap-hazard  of 
a  druggist's  doubtful  stock  and  careless  apprentice,  to  regard 
with  contempt  any  fellow-laborer  in  the  cause  of  humanity, 
who,  in  a  precisely  similar  case,  writes  out  the  same  prescrip- 
tion in  a  book,  and  then  either  makes  it  up  himself,  or  has  it 
made  up  by  one  whom  he  has  taught,  and  on  whose  accuracy 
he  can  rely,  from  drugs  which  he  has  been  most  careful  to  pro- 


In  concluding  this  part  of  my  subject,  I  would  earnestly  im- 
press the  necessity  of  early  attention  so  soon  as  the  first  symp- 
toms of  any  affection  of  the  eyes  are  perceived  by  the  patient, 
as  the  very  worst  consequences  may,  and  frequently  do  result 
from  delay 

"  Sero  medicina  paratur, 
Cum,  mala,  per  longas  convaluere  moras." 

The  eye  is  far  too  delicate  and  precious  an  organ  to  be  trifled 
with,  or  made  the  subject  of  random  experiments,  and  therefore 
it  would  be  exceedingly  unwise,  and  perhaps  dangerous,  to  ac- 
cept any  of  the  thousand  remedies  which  are  tendered  by  the 
mistaken  kindness  of  all  around,  for  every  one  offers  a  specific 
for  diseases  of  the  eve. 


APVICE    TO    PATIENTS.  1^ 

The  reader,  who  has  thus  far  accompanied  me,  can  perceive 
the  diversity  and  importance  of  the  various  affections  to  which 
the  eye  is  liable,  and  can  readily  understand  the  inutility  and 
hazard  of  relying  on  boasted  eye- waters  and  balsams ;  for  as 
the  textures  of  the  eye  and  its  diseases  differ,  so  also  must  the 
treatment  vary  and  be  adapted  to  each  particular  case  and  to 
the  different  stages  of  the  same  affection. 

How  much  more  rational  to  consult  an  experienced  oculist, 
who  thoroughly  understands  every  disease  of  this  tender  organ 
in  all  its  aspects  and  varieties. 

I  cannot  too  strongly  reprobate  the  practice  that  obtains, 
even  amongst  the  faculty,  particularly  at  some  public  institu- 
tions, of  treating  every  case  alike,  not  investigating  the  circum- 
stances and  peculiarities  of  each,  but  blindly  adopting  and  fol- 
lowing theories,  sometimes  the  most  erroneous. 

* 
Patients  are  constantly  presenting  themselves  with  chronic 
cases,  and  on  enquiring  what  has  been  previously  done  for 
them,  the  almost  invariable  reply  is,  "  I  was  bled  and  blistered, 
then  cupped  two  or  three  times  a  week,  had  a  pill  at  night, 
and  salts  in  the  morning ;"  this,  too,  from  the  young  and  the 
old,  the  weak  and  the  robust.  Patients  come  to  seek  advice 
after  such  a  course,  with  ccnstitutions  broken  down  and  ex- 
hausted, with  minds  depressed  and  diseases  not  amended,  but 
aggravated.  And  is  this  to  be  wondered  at,  when  there  is  no 
fact  better  ascertained  than  that  debihty,  impoverished  blood,  or 
insufficient  nourishment,  are  in  themselves  frequent  causes  of 
diseases  of  the  eye  ? 

The  beneficial  effects  of  bleeding  and  cupping,  in  the  early 
or  inflammatory  affections  of  the  eye,  are  indisputable,  but  no 
practice  can  in  general  be  more  decidedly  injurious  in  the  ad- 
vanced or  chronic  stages  of  the  same  affections.  ^ 


90  ADVICE    TO    PATIENTS. 

From  whatever  cause  this  debihty  may  arise,  our  first  object 
must  be  to  strengthen  and  invigorate  the  shattered  constitution 
before  we  can  attempt  to  make  a  favorable  impression  on  the 
disease. 

Finally,  I  would  remind  the  patient  of  the  absolute  import- 
ance of  co-operation  on  his  own  part,  in  faithfully  carrying  out 
the  views  and  observing  the  instructions  of  his  professional  ad- 
viser as  regards  medicine,  regimen,  and  whatever  else  may  be 
suggested  in  the  treatment  of  his  case. 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OP   VISION.         9l 


PRESERVATION  AND  IMPROVEMENT  OF 
VISION, 

WITH  OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE 

PREVENTION  OF  DISEASES  OF  THE  EYE. 


The  suggestions  which  I  am  about  to  make  relative  to  the 
preservation^  are  equally  applicable  to  the  improvement  of 
vision,  and  to  the  pj^evention  of  disease ;  they  are  therefore  all 
included  in  this  section. 

The  full  enjoyment  of 

"  Happiness,  our  being's  end  and  aim." 

is  so  essentially  dependant  on  perfect  and  unimpaired  vision, 
that  every  observation  which  contributes  to  preserve  or  improve 
the  eye  ought  to  be  written  in  letters  of  gold  and  indelibly  im- 
pressed on  the  tablet  of  the  memory,  for  blindness  is  one  of  the 
most  bitter  ingredients  which  can  be  mingled  in  the  cup  of 


^3 


rxfcnojazixT^moz*    az^x>    xmx'zx.G-r  10,1x1  ili-h  x     or    Vioion. 


human  suffering.     How  toucliingly  has  Milton  depicted  his 
melancholy  condition  under  this  sad  privation : 

"  With  the  year 
Seasons  return :  but  not  to  me  returns 
Day,  or  the  sweet  approach  of  even  or  mom, 
Or  sight  of  vernal  bloom,  or  summer's  rose, 
Or  flocks,  or  herds,  or  human  face  divine ; 
But  cloud  instead,  and  ever-during  dark 
Surrounds  me,  from  the  cheerful  w^ays  of  men 
Cut  off,  and  for  the  book  of  knowledge  fair 
Presented  with  an  universal  blank 
Of  nature's  works,  to  me  expunged  and  razed, 
And  wisdom,  at  one  entrance,  quite  shut  out. 

It  cannot  he  too  clearly  understood  that  the  influence  of  the 

\    mind,  the  general  health  of  the  system,  constitutional  causes. 

\   the  state  of  the  blood,  stomach  and  digestive  powers,  have  an 

\  intimate  and  important  bearing  on  the  condition  and  well-being 

of  the  organs  of  vision. 

To  preserve  the  "  mens  sana  in  corpore  sano,"  a  sound  mind 
in  a  sound  body,  is  then  a  matter  of  the  first  consequence.  We 
will  therefore  suggest  what  we  deem  most  likely  to  accomphsh 
BO  desirable  a  purpose. 


TEMPERANCE. 


The  first  great  rule  is  temperance  in  all  things.  I  need 
scarcely  enumerate  the  train  of  ill  consequences  attendant  on 
drunkenness,  at  such  a  tale  as  this  even  death  himself  grins 
horribly/  a  ghastly  s?nile.  Death  lies  concealed  in  the  tank- 
ard that  waits  beside  the  drunkard  ;  and  death  has  taken  up 
his  abode  in  the  glass  that  sparkles  in  the  hand  of  the  dram 
drinker.  And  if  some  persons  will  be  so  fool-liardy  as  to  devour 
death,  they  must  abide  the  dreadful  consequences.     The  in- 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION.         ^5 

temperate  not  only,  however,  shorten  their  own  days,  but  by 
transmitting  a  morbid  stamina  to  their  descendants  subject 
them  to  disease  and  untimely  dissolution. 

Alcohol,  when  taken  into  the  stomach,  is  absorbed  and  gets 
into  the  circulating  system;  a  portion  of  it  escapes  by  the 
lungs  and  is  recognised  by  its  odor  in  the  breath.  Liebcg 
asserts  that  it  is  burnt  in  the  lungs  and  thereby  converted  into 
carbonic  acid  and  water.  Alcohol,  therefore,  is  a  fuel  in  the 
animal  economy,  by  the  combustion  of  which  caloric  is  evolved, 
but  it  is  a  most  obnoxious  and  dangerous  fuel.  Its  volatility 
and  the  facility  with  which  it  permeates  membranes  and  tissues 
enables  it  to  be  rapidly  absorbed,  and  when  it  gets  into  the 
blood  it  exerts  a  most  injurious  operation  on  the  brain  and 
the  liver. 

But  if  temperance  is  desirable  for  the  general  benefit  of  the 
system,  it  is  eminently  so  with  regard  to  the  organs  of  vision, 
for  no  where  are  the  effects  of  intemperance  more  strongly 
marked  than  in  the  eyes,  from  the  period  when  the  sometime 
inebriate  sees  all  objects  double,  to  that  of  the  red  and  bleared 
eyes  of  the  confirmed  and  habitual  drunkard. 


REGULAR  HOURS. 

"  Early  to  bed  and  early  to  rise, 
Makes  a  man  healthy,  wealthy,  and  wisQ. 

may  be  a  trite,  but  is  a  veiy  true  adage.  To  retire  at  a  proper 
hour,  rest  a  sufficient  period,  and  rise  betimes,  produces  a  salu- 
tary influence  on  the  delicate  eye ;  but  he  who  converts  night 
into  day,  sitting  up  in  crowded  and  badly  ventilated  apart- 


94         PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

ments,  surrounded,  perhaps,  by  glaring  lights,  will  probably 
soon  perceive  the  red  and  weakened  appearance  presented  by 
this  sensitive  organ,  and  thus  be  admonished  of  the  injury  he 
is  inflicting  on  it. 

Retiring  early  to  rest,  breathing  a  free  air  in  the  night,  with- 
out the  interruption  of  bed  curtains ;  rising  early  in  the  morn- 
ing as  soon  as  nature  is  refreshed,  and  getting  out,  if  possible, 
into  the  country,  or  outskirts  of  the  town  to  inhale  the  pure  air. 
contributes  to  give  elasticity  to  the  springs  of  life  and  renovates 
the  entire  system.  Nothing  is  more  weakening  than  the  habit 
of  laying  in  bed  after  nature  has  been  refreshed  by  invigorating 
sleep. 

The  following  extract  from  the  Journal  of  the  celebrated 
Elizabeth  Woodville,  afterwards  married  to  Lord  Grey,  and 
subsequently  Queen  to  Edward  IV.  which  was  extracted  from 
an  ancient  manuscript,  preserved  in  Drummond  Castle,  nlay 
surprise,  amuse,  and  perhaps  profit  some  of  my  young  readers  : 

Monday  Morning. — Rose  diifour  o^ clock,  and  helped  Cathe- 
rine to  milk  the  cows  ;  Rachel,  the  other  dairy-maid,  having 
scalded  her  hand  in  so  bad  a  manner  the  night  before.  Made 
a  poultice  for  Rachel,  and  gave  Robin  a  penny  to  get  some- 
thing from  the  apothecary. 

Six  0^ clock. — The  buttock  of  beef  too  much  boiled,  and  beer 
a  little  of  the  stalest.  Mem.  To  talk  with  the  cook  about  the 
first  fault,  and  to  mend  the  second  myself  by  tapping  a  fresh 
barrel  directly. 

Seven. — Went  to  walk  with  the  lady  my  mother  in  the 
court-yard,  fed  25  men  and  women ;  chid  Roger  severely  for 
expressing  some  ill  will  at  attending  us  with  the  broken-meat. 

Eight. — Went  into  the  paddock  behind  the  house  with  my 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OP    VISION.         96 

maid  Dorothy ;  caught  Thump,  the  little  poney,  myself,  and 
rode  a  matter  of  six  miles  without  saddle  or  bridle. 

Ten. — Went  to  dinner. 

Eleven. — Rose  from  the  table,  the  company  all  desirous  of 
walking  into  the  fields.  John  Grey  would  Uft  me  over  every 
stile. 

Three. — Poor  farmer  Robinson's  house  burnt  down  by  acci 
dental  fire;  John  Grey  proposed  a  subscription  among  the 
company,  and  gave  no  less  than  four  pounds  with  this  bene- 
volent intent.     Mem.  Never  saw  him  look  so  comely  as  at  that 
moment. 

Four. — Went  to  prayers. 

Six. — Fed  the  hogs  and  poultry. 

Seven.—Su^^QX  on  the  table  ;  delayed  till  that  hour  on  ac- 
count of  farmer  Robinson' s  misfortune. 

jVme.— The  company  fast  asleep.  These  late  hours  very 
disagreeable ! 


CLOTHING. 


Comfortable  and  suflScient  clothing,  adapted  to  the  seasons, 
is  of  vast  importance,  especially  to  childien  and  aged  persons. 
It  is  a  very  mistaken  notion  to  endeavor  to  make  children 
hardy  by  exposing  them  to  cold,  or  depriving  them  of  warm 
clothing.    Such  a  course  is  much  more  hkely  to  engender 


96         PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

dfeease  than  to  promote  health.  Above  all  things  it  is  neces- 
sary to  keep  the  feet  dry  and  warm.  Damp  feet  are  a  prolific 
source  of  many  of  the  various  ailments  to  which  the  eyes  are 
liable. 

Clothing  in  itself  has  not  the  power  of  communicating 
warmth,  it  prevents  the  escape  of  the  natural  caloric  of  the 
body,  and  thus  a  stratum  of  warm  air  is  retained  between  the 
clothes  and  the  body.  This  explains  the  cause  of  loose  gar- 
ments being  warmer  than  tight  ones,  because  the  loose  dress, 
if  closed  at  its  upper  and  lower  part,  encloses  a  thin  stratum 
of  warm  air  which  the  tight  one  cannot.  Every  extra  article 
of  clothing  which  we  put  on  creates  an  additional  layer  of 
warm  air,  the  outer  layer  being  cooler  than  the  inner;  there- 
fore when  v/e  are  about  to  go  out  into  the  cold  air,  we  ought  to 
put  on  our  outside  garments  a  little  before  leaving  the  warm 
room,  so  as  to  heat  the  outer  layer  of  air,  as  otherwise  the  heat 
will  be  withdrawn  from  the  body  itself  The  materials  used 
for  clothing  should  be  bad  conductors  of  heat  and  of  sufficient 
permeability  to  allow  free  transpiration  of  the  skin.  Woollen 
and  silken  articles  of  attire  cause  in  some  persons  of  sensitive 
skin  cutaneous  irritation  and  even  eruptions.  Linen  is  very 
agreeable  next  the  skin,  but  it  absorbs  the  perspiration,  and 
instead  of  the  stratum  of  dry  air.  there  is  one  of  moisture,  and 
this  being  a  good  conductor  of  heat,  rapidly  chills  the  body. 
Cotton,  though  not  so  pleasant  to  the  skin,  is  preferred  in  warm 
weather,  as  it  does  not  absorb  moisture  to  the  same  extent  as 
linen. 

Great  attention  should  be  paid  to  frequently  exchanging  foul 
linen  and  flannels  for  those  that  are  cleanly  washed  and  well 
dried,  and  this  part  of  advice  respects  both  body  and  bed- 
clothes. Nothing  renders  clothes  purer  or  sweeter  than  good 
country  washing  and  bleaching.  It  would  not  be  an  excess  of 
cleanliness  but  tend  greatly  to  the  preservation  of  health,  if  in 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVI<:MENT    OF    VISION.         97 

addition  to  the  rule  of  never  using-  the  same  inner  garments 
by  day  and  night,  those  persons  who  wear  flannel  vests 
would  change  them  every  day.  This  may  be  done  without 
much  trouble  or  expense,  by  having  two  vests  in  use  at  the 
same  time,  and  wearing  them  alternately,  hanging  up  the 
one  that  was  last  worn  to  air  during  the  time  it  lemains 
unused. 

So  much  has  been  said  and  written  relative  to  the  injurious 
effects  of  tight  clothes,  especially  the  deformity-creating  corset, 
that  I  will  add  nothing  more  than  to  protest  against  folly  so 
absurd.  I  believe  most  persons  now  understand  the  misery 
that  those  instruments  of  torture  entail  to  the  third  and  fourth 
generation  ;  but  so  despotic  is  the  empire  of  fashion  that  they 
kiss  the  tyrant  hand  which  smites  them. 

"  They  know  the  right,  and  they  approve  it  too, 
Condemn  the  wrong,  and  yet  the  wrong  pursue !" 

With  regard  to  colors,  it  is  very  important  that  persons  who 
have  a  tendency  to  weakness  of  the  sight  should  select  those  of 
soft  and  refreshing  hues,  and  not  such  as  reflect  the  bright  and 
heating  rays. 

Ladies'  bonnets,  under  such  circumstances,  should  be  blue, 
green,  grey,  or  black,  particularly  the  lining.  Bright  and 
glaring  flowers,  or  ribbons,  on  the  inside  of  the  bonnet  are  very 
trying  to  the  eyes,  as  well  as  similar  colors  in  parasols,  sun- 
shades and  fans.  Veils  are  decidedly  objectionable,  they  pre- 
vent the  free  circulation  gf  air,  and  from  their  constant  waving 
to  and  fro  vision  is  rendered  confused  and  indistinct. 

7 


98         PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION 


THE  BATH. 

Next  is  the  cardinal  virtue  of  cleanliness  and  frequent  ab- 
lutions of  the  entire  person.  Water  conduces,  in  an  eminent 
degree,  to  health  and  happiness.  A  bath  every  morning  in 
the  year,  of  warm  or  cold  water,  the  latter  if  the  constitution 
is  not  too  feeble,  will  be  found  the  beet  preservative  against 
colds  and  inflammations  of  the  eyes.  The  temperature  of  the 
water  ouglit  to  be  regulated  by  the  feehngs  of  the  individual. 
The  great  test  of  its  benefit  is  if  after  the  bath  a  delightful 
glow  is  felt  to  pervade  the  whole  body. 

We  know  that  in  a  state  of  health  insensible  perspiration  is 
continually  taking  place.  We  are  told  that  each  cuticular 
pore  that  exhales  this  secretion  has  a  little  tube  attached  to  it 
of  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  length,  and  that  there  are 
3,258  of  these  in  a  square  inch  on  the  palm  of  the  hand  or  a 
length  of  tube  equal  to  73  1-2  feet.  But  even  estimating  the 
number  of  pores  in  each  at  2,800,  anc^  calculating  the  number 
of  square  inches  of  surface  in  an  ordinary  sized  man  at  2,500, 
it  follows  that  if  these  little  tubes  were  extended  out  in  a  con- 
tinuous line,  they  would  reach  the  enormous  length  of  28  miles ! 
And  it  has  been  calculated  that  eight  grains  in  ^veight  of 
perspiration  are  exhaled  by  the  skin  through  these  pores  in  the 
course  of  a  minute. 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION.         99 

We  also  know  that  the  outer  or  scarf  skin  is  constantly 
thrown  off  from  the  body  in  the  shape  of  small  powdery  scales. 
These  become  mixed  with  the  unctuous  and  saline  products  of 
the  skin,  and  when  united  together  they  form  a  thin  pellicle  to 
which  dust  and  dirt  adhere.  This  concretion  blocks  up  the 
pores,  prevents  free  transpiration,  irritates  the  skin,  and  keeps 
it  damp  and  cold.  The  insensible  perspirafion  being  thus 
checked  in  its  egress,  the  destructive  fluids  and  impurities  which 
ought  to  pass  off  in  this  way  are  again  taken  up  into  the  sys- 
tem, giving  origin  to  various  maladies  of  the  different  organs 
and  tissues,  and  this  is  oftener  than  is  generally  supposed  the 
cause  of  diseases  in  the  eye. 

The  skin  likewise  performs  in  the  animal  economy  an  im- 
portant part  as  a  respiratory  apparatus ;  but  if  the  pores  are 
stopped  by  these  accumulated  secretions,  the  blood  cannot  be 
oxidized  on  the  surface  of  the  body  by  the  air.  neither  can  it 
here  discharge  its  carbon,  thus  suspending  or  annulling  over  so 
great  an  extent  of  surface  a  function  of  such  vital  importance. 

The  incrustation  is,  also,  a  nucleous,  where  miasma  and  in- 
fectious matter  may  lodge  until  it  is  absorbed  into  the  system, 
producing  not  unfrequently  death  and  destruction. 

Siuely  no  argument  is  necessary  after  this  statement  of  facts 
to  enforce  the  absolute  necessity  of  the  bath,  for  this  effectually 
removes  incrustations,  frees  the  pores  from  obstructions,  and  by 
its  habitual  use  we  are  enabled  at  all  times  to  secure  a  free 
transit  to  the  natural  exhalation,  promote  a  copious  discharge 
of  insensible  perspiration,  prevent  the  blood  from  being  poi- 
soned by  the  re-absorption  of  impurities,  and  essentially  add  to 
the  health  and  happiness  of  the  individual.  Those  that  have 
used  this  salutary  process  for  any  time  could  not  easily  be  in- 
duced to  relinquish  a  prac.tice  that  tends  to  render  the  body 
indurate  against  cold,  and  is  fraught  with  so  many  other  ad- 


100       PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

vantages.  In  fact  nothing  is  more  refreshing  or  hixurious  after 
fatigue  and  exhaustion  than  the  bath,  or  more  speedily  revives 
and  restores  the  drooping  energies,  exiiihrating  the  spirits  and 
giving  renewed  tone  and  vigor  to  the  entire  system. 

The  shower  bath  possesses  in  some  cases  many  advantages, 
and  from  its  portabihty  and  general  utihty  is  fast  becoming  a 
sine  qua  non  in  every  dwelHng.  The  gentle  shock  to  the  ner- 
vous system,  and  the  concussion  of  the  skin,  caused  by  the  fail 
of  the  water,  produces  a  highly  salutary  effect.  Reaction 
quickly  follows  the  first  sensation  of  cold,  for  this  is  speedily 
succeeded  by  an  agreeable  feeling  of  warmth.  The  shower 
bath  is  particularly  useful  in  diminishing  the  sensibility  of  the 
skin  to  the  impressions  of  our  changeful  climate.  But  this,  like 
all  other  baths,  ought  not  to  be  used  violently,  that  is  to  say, 
the  shock  ought  not  to  be  too  severe  either  in  quantity  or  tem- 
perature. A  gradual  course  of  training  from  tepid  to  cold  is  ob- 
viously the  most  prudent  method.  Some  invalids  bear  the  cold 
shower  bath  much  better  by  having  their  feet  immersed  in  warm 
water  while  taking  the  shov/er. 

Many  persons  having  asked  my  opinion  relative  to  the  merits 
of  the  various  shower  baths  now  before  the  public,  I  took  par- 
ticular pains  to  examine  the  peculiarities  of  each.  The  resu-lt 
is  that  I  most  decidedly  give  the  preference  to  "  Locke's  Pa- 
tent "  (31  Ann  street)  I  unhesitatingly  recommend  it  as  the 
ne  plus  ultra  of  baths.  It  combines  economy,  durability,  sim- 
plicity and  portability,  and  superadded  to  those  requisites  are 
some  remarkable  advantages.  It  can  be  used  as  a  Douche, 
vapor,  or  hip  bath,  and,  also,  it  may  be  said  to  obviate  the 
necessity  of  the  cumbersome  batliing  tub.  At  my  suggestion 
Mr.  Locke  has  further  added  to  its  usefulness  by  having  a  fine 
tube  connected  with  the  reservoir,  and  in  this  way  a  beautiful 
jet  of  water  is  formed  which  answers  an  excellent  purpose  as 
an  eye  fountain.     Locke's  shower  bath  is  the  best  that  has  yet 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION.       161 

been  invented  for  enabling  the  beginner  to  undergo  the  gradual 
course  of  training  that  I  before  alluded  to,  as  he  can  control 
the  quantity  of  water  and  the  elevation  from  which  it  falls. 

The  cold  plunge  bath  is  somewhat  similar  in  its  effects  to 
the  shower  bath,  but  not  always  so  efficacious. 

The  Douse  or  Douche-bath,  is  a  contrivance  for  applying 
water  locally,  and  combining  with  effusion  more  or  less  con- 
cussion of  the  skin.  As  the  remedy  for  local  disease,  this  form 
of  bath  has  been  used  from  time  immemorial.  A  jug  of  water 
poured  from  a  height  on  a  part  of  the  body  is  a  Douche  bath, 
and  a  more  complete  one  is  a  stream  from  a  pump — the  popu- 
lar treatment  for  a  sprain.  No  embrocation,  lotion,  or  other 
remedy  is  as  effectual  in  such  cases  as  cold  water  thus  applied. 
The  concussion  of  the  skin  caused  by  the  blow  of  the  water 
against  the  surface  is  a  feature  of  importance  in  this  form  of 
bath,  and  where  a  sufficient  height  of  column  or  force  could 
not  be  obtained  the  blow  has  sometimes  been  applied  arti- 
ficially by  a  little  wooden  hammer  with  which  the  skin  is 
beaten  as  the  water  falls. 

The  jet  of  water,  or  the  Douche-bath,  is  one  of  the  most 
invaluable  and  appropriate  remedies  that  can  be  used  for 
strengthening  and  preserving  the  visual  organs.  Through  all 
time  water  has  been  highly  esteemed  as  the  most  useful  and 
natural  agent  in  various  infirmities  of  the  eyes,  but  in  no  way 
is  its  application  so  beneficial  and  invigorating  as  when  a  con- 
tinuous shower  is  allowed  to  play  on  the  closed  eye  and  sur- 
rounding parts  for  five  or  ten  minutes  at  a  time. 

I  have  succeeded  in  constructing  a  self-acting  Eye  Fountain, 
on  sJmple  hydrostatic  principles.  Tn  this  little  machine,  by 
means  of  pneumatic  pressure,  a  considerable  impetus  is  given 
to  the  water.     The  onlv  trouble  required  before  commencing 


1V 


102        PRESERVATION  AND  IMPROVEMENT  OF  VISION. 

its  use  is  to  charge  it  with  pure  water,  either  warm  or  cold,  or 
with  rose  wat^r,  which  is  sometimes  agreeable  and  proper ; 
then  hold  the  flexible  tube  opposite  the  closed  eye^  turn  the 
stopcock,  and  a  fine  continuous  shower  or  stream  issues  from 
the  pipe,  which  may  be  caused  to  strike  against  the  outside  of 
the  eyelids,  and  the  brow  and  temple,  with  increased  or  di- 
minished force  as  required,  this  being  regulated  by  turning  the 
faucit.  The  Fountain  is  exceedingly  simple  in  its  mechanism, 
and  not  liable  to  get  out  of  order. 

The  disputed  point  as  to  whether  the  application  of  water  to 
the  open  eye  is  beneficial  or  otherwise,  is,  I  think,  very  plainly 
solved  by  nature  herself;  for  in  this,  as  in  many  other  Hygean 
rules,  we  must  be  governed  by  individual  idiosyncracy  or  pecu- 
liarity. Many  persons  make  it  a  daily  practice  to  bathe 
their  open  eyes  in  a  basin  of  water  every  morning,  which 
strengthens  and  preserves  their  vision.  In  others,  of  sensitive 
eye  or  constitution,  water,  thus  applied,  would  be  too  powerful 
a  stimulant,  and  prove  not  only  injurious  but,  perhaps,  de- 
structive to  the  sight.  So  also  with  regard  to  the  temperature 
of  the  water,  to  some,  water  at  its  lowest  temperature  would 
be  appropriate  and  refreshing,  while  to  others  such  a  degree  of 
cold  would  be  not  only  painful  but  absolutely  hurtful.  In  all 
cases  we  must  appeal  to  our  judgment  and  experience ;  and, 
as  I  have  elsewhere  remarked,  the  feelings  of  the  individual 
and  the  effects  produced  by  such  applications,  are  the  surest 
and  most  unerring  guides. 

Whatever  discussion  may  arise  as  to  the  effects  of  water 
applied  to  the  open  or  naked  eye,  there  can  be  no  question  as 
to  the  great  and  unqualified  advantage  of  its  application  ex- 
ternally, that  is  to  say,  to  the  integuments  of  the  eye-lids  and 
the  adjacent  parts,  by  means  of  the  Self- Acting  Eye  Fountain, 
in  a  continuous  and  modified,  but  soothing  stream,  for  it  occa- 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT   OF    VISION. 

sions  neither  contusion,  chilliness,  nor  the  slightest  uneasiness, 
but  on  the  contrary,  a  refreshing  and  invigorating  coolness, 
3oeedily  followed  by  an  agreeable  glow,  which  imparts  anima- 
tion to  the  countenance  and  increased  energy  to  the  visual,  as 
well  as  muscular  powers  of  the  organ.  The  apparatus  will  be 
found  eminently  serviceable,  not  only  to  ladies  who  are  in  the 
habit  of  devoting  a  large  portion  of  their  evenings  to  reading, 
drawing,  or  fine  needlework,  but,  also,  to  every  description  of 
artists,  artizans  and  mechanics,  such  as  miniature  painters, 
engravers,  watchmakers,  jewellers,  embroiderers,  sempstresses, 
and  all  other  persons  whose  avocations  protracted  frequently 
to  late  hours,  compel  them  to  long-continued  inspection  of 
iielicate,  shining,  or  diminutive  objects  under  the  stimulating 
and  exhausting  influence  of  gas  or  other  strong  and  reflected 
light. 

Whenever  the  eyes,  in  consequence  of  such  unintermitt  ;d 
and  inordinate  exertions  experience  a  sensation  of  heat,  we  xk- 
ness,  and  tensive  uneasiness,  accompanied  with  unsteady  ind 
confused  vision,  the  eye-fountain  aflbrds  immediate  reliefs  and, 
by  removing  the  inflammatory  and  relaxed  condition  of  the 
organ  prevents  that  impairment  or  total  loss  of  sight,  in  which 
these  symptoms,  if  neglected  or  improperly  treated,  are  other- 
wise apt  to  terminate. 

The  eye-fountain  constitutes  likewise  a  valuable  and  orna- 
mental appendage  to  the  dressing-room ;  the  use  of  which  for  a 
few  minutes  before  encountering  boisterous  winds,  cold  night 
air,  or  those  atmospheric  changes  inseperable  from  attendance, 
in  the  evening  at  the  houses  of  legislature  or  congress,  at  cha- 
pels, lectures,  theatres  or  other  places  of  public  amusement, 
proves  a  ready  and  agreeable  preservative  against  the  occur- 
rence of  a  suffused,  watery  and  painful  state  of  the  eyes,  and 
occasionally  worse  functional  derangements,  which,  without  its 
assistance,  such  exposure  is  hable  to  induce. 


104      PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

The  plain  vapor  and  medicated  vapor  bath  are  excellent 
remedial  measures  in  particular  affections.  By  means  of  the 
latter  the  volatile  principles  of  various  medicinal  substances  can 
be  introduced  into  the  system.  A  cheap  substitute  for  the 
vapor  bath  has  recently  been  recommended.  Take  a  piece  of 
quick-lime  about  half  the  size  of  the  hand,  wrap  around  it  a 
wet  cloth  sufficiently  wrung  to  prevent  water  running  from  it, 
wrap  a  dry  cloth  several  times  around  this ;  prepare  a  second 
one  in  the  same  way  :  place  one  of  the  packets  on  each  side  of 
the  patient  when  in  bed.  An  abundant  humid  heat  is  soon 
developed  by  the  combination  of  the  lime  with  the  w^ater,  which 
quickly  induces  copious  transpiration.  The  effect  will  last  for 
two  hours  at  least.  When  perspiration  is  fully  established 
withdraw  the  lime  which  is  now  reduced  to  powder. 

With  regard  to  temperature  we  must  be  governed  in  each 
instance  by  the  nature  of  the  case,  the  peculiarities  of  the  pa- 
tient and  the  particular  effect  we  are  desirous  of  accomplishing. 
The  temperate  and  the  tepid  bath  produce  a  quieting  or  seda- 
tive effect  on  the  system.  The  hot  bath  stimulates,  and  the 
warm  bath  has  an  intermediate  action.  The  range  of  the 
several  baths  is  by  Fahrenheit's  thermometer,  as  follows : 

Temperate from  75^  to  80^ 

Tepid from  85^  to  95^ 

Warm from  95^  to  98^ 

Hot from  98^  to  105^ 

The  free  use  of  soap  to  remove  the  accumulated  oily  matter 
secreted  by  the  skin  is  absolutely  requisite. 

After  the  bath,  whatever  it  may  have  been,  the  body  must 
be  thoroughly  dried  and  rubbed  with  a.  coarse  towel  until  a 
genial  glow  is  diffused  over  the  entire  person. 


PEESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT   OF    VISION.       105 

Friction  with  the  horse-Iiair  gloves  'or  straps  will  also  be 
found  singularly  advantageous  in  determining  the  blood  to  the 
surface,  and  promoting  a  healthy  reaction  of  the  skin.  The 
proper  way  to  use  them  is,  after  the  body  has  been  thoroughly 
dried,  to  rub  them  briskly  over  the  entire  surface,  but  not  too 
severely,  for  considerable  injury  may  be  inflicted  on  the  skin  by 
their  unmerciful  application.  The  glove  ought  not  to  be  hard 
and  unyielding.  Those  manufactured  by  Dinneford,  and  im- 
ported by  Gumming,  Dodge  &  Co.,  43  Fulton  street,  and  sold 
by  all  respectable  druggists,  are  immeasurably  superior  to  all 
others.  In  those  gloves  the  points  of  the  hair  are  perpendicu- 
lar to  the  surface,  like  a  brush ;  they  are  very  soft  and  agree- 
able, and  at  the  same  time  efficacious,  and  are  not  likely  to  in- 
jure the  tenderest  skin.  There  are  some  very  beautiful  ones 
expressly  prepared  for  the  use  of  ladies. 

The  apartment  in  the  house  where  the  bath  is  taken  should 
be  airy  and  comfortably  warm  in  winter. 

When  a  complete  bath  cannot  be  conveniently  obtained,  a 
wet  sponge  or  sheet  may  be  substituted ;  this,  though  not  so 
efficacious,  is  nevertheless  very  beneficial.  The  wet  sponge 
should  be  quickly  rubbed  over  the  body,  which  must  be  as 
quickly  dried.  In  many  cases  salt  may  be  added  to  the  water 
with  good  effect. 

The  salt- water  bath  in  the  open  sea,  in  pleasant  weather,  is 
superior  to  any  other  form  of  cold  bath.  The  topical  action  of 
the  salt-water  is  more  stimulant  than  fresh  water,  from  the  na- 
ture of  the  saline  particles  that  it  contains,  and  from  its  greater 
weight,  being  about  one-thirtieth  part  heavier  it  produces  a 
greater  degree  of  concussion. 

The  reaction  is  almost  immediate  and  certain,  and  conse- 
quently it  may  be  indulged  in  a  little  longer  than  common 
water,  and  persons  are  less  lively  to  take  f  old  after  it. 


106      PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

The  tonic  effects  of  the  salt-water,  the  fine  fresh  air,  and  the 
exercise  of  swimming  and  moving  about,  combine  to  make  it 
both  exhilirating  and^  invigorating.  These  good  effects  are, 
however,  frequently  diminished,  or,  indeed,  positive  evil  is  often 
produced,  by  remaining  too  long  in  the  water.  Prudence  should, 
therefore,  be  exercised  in  this  respect,  as  well  as  in  choosing  the 
most  proper  time  for  bathing.  A  bath  ought  not  to  be  taken 
either  immediately  before  or  for  several  hours  after  any  meal, 
and  early  in  the  morning  is  decidedly  the  most  healthful  time. 

The  art  of  sv/imming  is  one  of  the  most  useful  accomplish- 
ments a  youth  can  acquire,  for  by  it  he  may  be  enabled,  in 
case  of  emergency,  to  save  his  own  life  or  rescue  that  of  a  fel- 
low-creatuie  from  an  untimely  end.  I  will,  therefui'e,  say  a 
few  words  on  the  subject. 

The  principal  thing  required  in  learning  to  swim  is  confi- 
dence ;  I  therefore  wish  to  impress  upon  the  mind  of  the 
learner  one  or  two  philosophical  facts.  All  bodies  that  float  on 
the  surface  of  the  water,  displace  as  much  fluid  as  is  equal  in 
weight  to  the  weight  of  the  bodies ;  therefore,  in  order  that  a 
vessel  may  keep  above  water,  it  is  necessary  that  the  vessel  and 
its  cargo  should  be  of  less  weight  than  the  weight  of  a  quan- 
tity of  water  equal  in  bulk  to  the  part  of  the  vessel  which  is 
immerged  in  the  water.  Now,  by  actual  experiment,  it  has 
been  ascertained  that  the  mean  specific  gravity  of  the  human 
body  is  one-ninth  less  than  that  of  common  water,  so  that  as  we 
are  specifically  lighter  than  water,  it  only  requires  a  little  skill 
to  enable  us  to  float  like  a  piece  of  wood,  and  this  principally 
consists  in  occupying  a  proper  position  in  the  water ;  the  great 
desideratum  is  to  lay  perfectly  extended,  the  whole  body  and 
limbs  being  kept  under  the  water  except  the  face,  because  the 
head,  legs,  and  arms  are  heavier  than  the  water,  though  the  body 
is  not,  and  consequently,  if  they  are  kept  above  the  water  they 
sink  the  body,  just  as  too  large  a  cargo  would  sink  a  ship. 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION.       107 

A  person  who  has  not  learned  to  swim  endeavors  to  keep  his 
head  too  much  out  of  the  water,  and  loosing  his  presence  of 
mind  throws  his  arms  upwards,  and  by  his  efforts  and  struggles 
raises  himself  so  high  above  the  water  that  his  body  does  not 
displace  so  much  of  the  water  as  is  equal  to  its  weight,  and  he 
immediately  sinks ;  he  takes  water  in  by  the  mouth  and  nos- 
trils, which  soon  renders  him  as  heavy  as  the  surroimding  ele- 
ment ;  the  coldness  of  the  water,  and,  perhaps,  his  own  fears 
have  a  tendency  to  contract  the  entire  body,  and,  of  course,  to 
increase  its  weight  in  proportion  to  its  bulk,  and  all  these  things 
combined  causes  a  person  to  sink.  But  if  the  beginner  will 
only  recollect  the  fact  of  his  body  being  in  reality  lighter  than 
the  water,  the  very  knovvledge  of  this  natural  buoyancy  ought 
to  be  sufficient  to  give  him  full  confidence  in  his  next  attempt 
at  sw^imming,  and  by  trying  to  avoid  all  effort  and  laying  flat 
with  only  his  face  above  water  he  will  soon  be  enabled  to  strike 
out  gently  with  his  hands  and  feet,  and  be  gratified  to  find  that 
he  has  already  conquered  what  hitherto  appeared  to  him  almost 
an  insurmountable  difficulty. 

Young  persons  who  cannot  swim  ought  to  be  careful  to  as- 
certain the  real  depth  of  the  w^ater  before  venturing  to  plunge 
in,  for  if  the  water  be  clear  it  appears  less  deep  than  it  really  is, 
because,  according  to  the  law  of  reflection,  of  which  we  before 
spoke,  w^hen  explaining  the  cause  of  an  oar  appearing  to  be 
crooked  w  hen  immersed  in  clear  water  the  image  of  the  part 
or  bottom  lies  above  the  object,  hence  the  depth  of  a  stream  is 
one-fourth  part  greater  than  it  appears  to  be ;  in  other  w^ords, 
suppose  the  water  to  be  six  feet  deep,  on  looking  at  the  bottom 
it  appears  to  be  only  four  and-a-half  from  the  surface. 

Those  persons,  who  from  want  of  time  and  opportunity  can- 
not avail  themselves  of  bathing  in  the  open  sea,  can  find  a  most 
admirable  substitute  in  the  excellent  floating  salt  water  baths 
of  that  respected  and  experienced  veteran  in  the  art  of  bathing, 


108      PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OP    VISION. 

Dr.  Rabineaii ;  indeed,  I  believe  I  will  be  doing  good  service  by 
extracting  a  leaf  from  the  Doctor's  directions  to  his  bathers : 

"  While  particular  care  should  be  taken  never  to  go  into  the 
water  in  a  state  of  extra  perspiration  or  great  heat,  it  is  equally 
necessary  to  have  a  strict  regard  to  a  proper  temperature  of  the 
body,  so  that  being  cautious  of  too  great  heat,  we  should  be 
equally  so  of  too  much  coolness. 

"  If  one  rule  should  be  urged  upon  the  attention  of  bathers 
more  strongly  than  others,  it  is  that  in  coming  to  the  bath,  and 
being  in  a  perspiration,  they  should  never  take  off  their  coats 
or  dresses,  and  remain  sitting  for  a  time  to  get  cool,  but  rather 
remain  with  them  on  until  they  are  in  a  proper  temperature  for 
the  water,  and  that  should  ever  be  above  the  heat  of  the  water, 
to  have  the  most  desirable  effect.  The  best  effect  is  lost  in 
getting  too  cool  before  going  in,  and  most  certainly  no  good 
can  be  obtained  by  staying  in  too  long." 

In  connexion  with  this  subject  I  may  mention  that  hot  salt 
water  baths,  so  decidedly  effectual  in  some  cases,  can  only  be 
procured  in  this  city  at  Dr.  Rabineau's  establishment  at  the  foot 
of  Desbrosses  street,  and  here  they  can  be  had  throughout  the 
entire  year ;  while  at  the  Astor  House,  his  warm,  cold  and 
shower  baths,  of  the  pure  and  limpid  Croton,  are  attended  with 
all  the  appliances  and  comforts  that  really  make  the  bath  not 
alone  desirable  but  positively  luxurious  and  truly  healthful. 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OP    VISION.       109 


EXERCISE. 

Exercise  is  essential  for  the  promotion  and  enjoyment  of 
good  health,  whilst,  on  the  contrary,  sedentary  habits  are  the 
fruitful  source  of  numerous  maladies,  especially  of  the  eyes. 
Exercise  is  a  powerful  means  of  strengthening  sight  and  pre- 
venting disease.  The  experienced  practitioner  quickly  dis- 
covers, by  the  peculiar  unhealthy  appearance  of  a  patient,  if 
his  disease  arises  from  want  of  proper  exercise,  and  often,  by 
inducing  regularity  in  this  respect,  is  enabled  to  remove  the 
disease,  or  at  least  render  it  much  more  easily  influenced  by 
curative  remedies. 

As  a  mode  of  exercise,  w^alking  is  equal  to  any,  and  fortu- 
nately is  accessible  to  all,  whether  poor  or  rich.  In  walking  all 
the  muscles  are  brought  into  play,  and  the  dormant  energy  of 
nearly  all  the  organs  aroused ;  the  blood  circulates  with  free- 
dom, the  countenance  is  radiant  with  the  tinge  and  glow  of 
health,  and  the  eyes  sparkle  with  renewed  lustre.  But,  walk- 
ing to  be  thus  beneficial  must  not  be  pursued  as  a  task,  or 
taken  with  the  spirit  of  martyrdom  witli  which  we  swallow  a 
dose  of  salts,  for  the  sake  of  the  good  to  be  accomplished ;  nor 
yet  will  the  daily  pilgiimage  from  home  to  business,  and  from 
'•  down  town  "  and  back  again,  secure  this  object. — Too  well  the 
care-worn  visdge  and  hurried  gait  of  the  slaves  to  mammon 
demonstrate  the  inutility  of  exercise  without  50?^/.  This  then, 
is  the  great  desideratum ;  the  mind  must  be  amused  and  the 
eye  delighted  with  varying  and  novel  scenes ;  fresh  country  air 
clear  sky,  and  green  fields,  particularly  if  enjoyed  in  the  society 


110      PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

of  a  valued  and  cheerful  friend,  combine  to  render  walking  at- 
tractive, desirable  and  healthful. 

Every  one  has  observed  how  much  the  pleasure  of  a  pedes- 
trian excursion  is  increased  if  it  be  enlivened  by  the  conversa- 
tion of  an  agreeable  companion.  The  old  Roman  poet  under- 
stood how  much  the  wearisomeness  of  even  a  toilsome  walk  is 
beguiled  by  the  society  of  a  kindred  sphit,  when  he  wrote — 

"  Comes  jucundus  pro  vehiculo  est." 

A  pleasant  companion  is  better  than  a  carriage. 

Somewhat  similar  Avas  the  feeling  of  the  French  traveller 
who  pathetically  bewails  the  sad  fate  which  compelled  him  to 
"wend  his  solitary  way"  through  verdant  meads  and  blooming 
landscapes.  "  O,  ^quiH  est  triste  de  voir  un  beau  jpays  sans 
avoir  personne  a  qui  dire  '  voila  un  beau  pays  P  " 

Exercise  on  horseback  possesses  superior  advantages  in  some 
cases,  as  it  can  be  enjoyed  by  the  invalid  for  a  longer  period 
without  fatigue  or  weariness. 

Exercises  which  employ  both  body  and  mind  in  the  open 
air,  such  as  the  manly  and  scientific  game  of  cricket,  throwing 
the  quoit,  leaping,  running,  and  ascending  heights,  may  be 
deemed  the  most  effectual  means  of  expanding  the  chest  and 
promoting  sound  health.  As  many  persons  engaged  in  busi- 
ness or  sedentary  occupations  cannot  take  all  the  exercise 
abroad  that  is  necessary  for  their  health,  they  ought,  if  possible, 
to  visit  a  gymnastic  establishment  and  there  exercise  mode- 
rately every  day ;  also  use  the  dumb  bells  at  home  every  morn- 
ing and  evening,  and  walk  about  in  their  own  stores  or  houses 
for  at  least  an  hour  every  da}^,  for  although  such  proceedings 
will  not  compensate  for  the  loss  of  exercise  out  of  doors  they 
are  the  best  substitute  for  it  that  under  the  circumstances  can 
be  resorted  to.     For  young  ladies  the  use  of  the  skipping  rope, 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OP    VISION.      Ill 

exercise  with  the  shuttle-cock  and  battle-door,  playing  the 
graces,  singing  and  reading  aloud,  dancing,  and  daily  practice 
at  the  Kalisthenic  Institute,  will  be  found  of  great  advantage, 
and,  indeed,  is  absolutely  necessary  to  promote  the  growth  and 
preserve  the  health  of  those  who  have  not  the  opportunity  and 
inducement  to  exercise  that  is  afforded  in  rural  life.  Most  as- 
suredly the  elegance  of  the  female  frame  will  be  better  attained 
by  walking  in  the  open  air,  reading  their  books  in  the  green 
fields,  under  some  umbrageous  shade,  riding  on  horseback  and 
using  the  cold  bath  (other  circumstances  permitting)  than  by 
the  pernicious  habit  of  confinement  all  day  to  the  house  so 
frequently  indulged  in,  and  afterwards  walking  out  in  the  night 
air  in  thin  attire. 

Exercise,  to  be  beneficial,  should  be  regular,  and  not  exces- 
sive, and,  like  bathing,  should  not  be  engaged  in  immediately 
before  or  after  meals.  I  need  scarcely  add  that  in  this  climate 
the  mornings  and  evenings  are  the  most  desirable  periods  dur- 
ing the  warm  season,  and  mid-day  in  the  winter. 


DIET. 

The  necessity  of  attention  to  diet  for  the  preservation  of  the 
general  health  is  so  obvious  as  to  render  superfluous  any  preli- 
minary observations  for  its  enforcement,  but  as  many  affections 
of  the  eyes  are  produced  by  improper  diet,  we  shall  briefly  con- 
sider the  subject. 

Wholesome  and  sufficient  food,  composed  of  a  due  admixture 
of  animal  and  vegetable  substances,  is  the  proper  subsistence 
of  man;  indeed  the  constituent  elements  of  animal  and'vege- 


112      PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OP    VISION. 

table  matter  are  identical.  The  former  contain  a  larger  amomit 
of  the  nutritive  principle ;  the  latter  take  a  longer  time  to  di- 
gest, and  are  more  likely  to  sour  on  the  stomach. 

SoHd  food  is  more  easily  digested  than  Hquid,  and  therefore 
invalids  ought  to  partake  sparingly  of  soups  and  fluids. 

The  cooking  of  food  is  extremely  important.  Boiled,  roasted 
and  broiled,  are  the  most  proper  modes  of  cooking  for  delicate 
persons,  but  even  these  simple  cuhnary  operations  require  skill 
and  experience  to  be  executed  aright ;  to  render  some  articles 
digestible  considerable  cooking  is  necessary,  vi^hile  a  similar  pro- 
ceeding with  others  would  produce  the  opposite  effect. 

Professor  Liebig,  of  Germany,  has  recently  written  a  letter  to 
Professor  Silliman,  a  portion  of  which  is  taken  up  with  exam- 
ining the  relative  advantages  of  boihng  and  roasting  meat : 

"  The  method  of  roasting  is  obviously  the  best  to  make  flesh 
most  nutritious.  But  it  does  not  follow  that  boiling  is  to  be 
interdicted.  If  a  piece  of  meat  be  put  in  cold  water,  and  this 
heated  to  boiling,  and  boiled  till  it  is  "  done,"  it  will  become 
harder  and  have  less  taste  than  if  the  same  piece  had  been 
thrown  into  water  already  boiling.  In  the  first  case,  the  mat- 
ters grateful  to  the  taste  and  smell  go  into  the  extract — the 
soup ;  in  the  second  the  albumen  of  the  meat  coagulates  from 
the  surface  inward,  and  envelopes  the  interior  with  a  layer 
which  is  impregnable  to  water.  In  the  latter  case,  the  soup 
will  be  indifferent,  but  the  meat  delicious." 

As  a  general  rule  white  and  young  meats,  as  lamb,  veal,  pork 
and  fowl,  ought  to  be  well  di-essed,  while  beef,  mutton  and  aqua- 
tic birds  are  better  underdone. 

Baking  and  frying  are  decidedly  the  most  injurious  methods 
of  cooking,  as  food  thus  prepared  is  very  indigestible. 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION.       113 

Our  feelings  are  often  the  best  guide  as  to  what  we  ought  to 
eat  and  what  abstain  from.  Many  persons  have  an  idiosyn- 
cracy,  or  pecuUarity  of  constitution  in  respect  to  food,  the  sim- 
plest things  as  mutton,  fish,  hone}',  (fee,  acting  on  them  as 
poisons,  and  this  is  not  from  caprice  or  whim  on  their  part. 

Within  the  circle  of  my  own  acquaintance  is  a  lady,  who, 
having  on  one  occasion  partaken  freely  of  oysters,  to  which  she 
was  very  partial,  was  seized  with  violent  and  alarming  pains  in 
the  stomach.  The  oysters  were  probably  in  an  unhealthy  state 
for  it  was  then  the  summer  season.  This  occurred  several  years 
ago,  and  as  the  taste  for  oysters  still  continues  she  has  several 
tunes  ventured  to  indulge  slightly.  They  have  also  been  dis- 
guised and  given  to  her,  but  in  either  case  the  result  is  alike — 
she  is  invariably  attacked  with  the  most  excruciating  and 
di-eadful  pains. 

Some  patients  require  a  generous  diet :  to  such,  boiled  leg  of 
mutton,  roast  beef,  broiled  mutton-chop,  the  back  of  a  rabbit, 
boiled  fowl  and  chickens,  nice  sweet-bread  and  tripe,  are  most 
suitable.  White  fish,  and  raw  oysters,  eggs  lightly  cooked, 
good  dry  potatoes,  turnips,  asparagus  and  tomatoes,  and  fresh 
and  ripe  fruit,  are  also  appropriate,  and  for  beverage,  the  pi#e 
Crotoii,  although,  in  some  cases  of  debility,  it  becomes  necessary 
to  prescribe  a  little  wine,  ale,  porter,  or  even  weak  brandy  and 
water.  Good  black  tea  or  a  limited  quantity  of  coffee,  neither  too 
strong,  are  refreshing  and  beneficial.  Goats  and  asses  milk 
and  butter-milk,  also  agree  well  with  some  valetudinarians. 

Water,  the  natural  drink  of  man,  next  to  the  air  we  breathe, 
is  the  most  essential  element  of  vital  existence.  It  therefore  be- 
comes a  matter  of  the  first  importance  to  obtain  it  of  the  utmost 
purity.  Rain  water  procured  in  the  country,  free  from  the  con- 
taminations of  large  towns,  is  the  purest  water,  but  nevertheless 
it  contains  a  considerable  quantity  of  carbonate  of  ammonia. 

8 


li'l       PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

Spring  and  pump  water  are  impregnated  with  various  saline 
ingredients  Avhich  they  dissolve  in  peicolating  through  the  rocks 
and  earth,  they  are,  therefore,  not  suitable  for  dyspeptic  per- 
sons. River  water  is  a  mixture  of  rain  and  spring  water,  but 
from  whatever  source  it  is  derived  it  always  contains  more 
or  less  decomposed  organic  matter  in  suspension  or  solution 
which  is  formed  mostly  of  the  exuviae  of  vegetable  and  animal 
substances. 

By  means  oi  the  solar  or  oxyhydrogen  microscope  myriads 
of  animalcules  can  be  observed  inhabiting  the  minutest  quan- 
tity of  river  water.  These  aquatic  animals,  as  also  vegetable 
parasites,  [ciitojjhyta^  and  eniozoa.)  it  is  not  at  all  beyond  the 
range  of  probability  to  suppose  may  produce  disease  in  the  hu- 
man system,  and  various  cases  have  been  cited  where  such 
apparently  was  the  case.     The  engraving  exhibits  a  magnified 


i  wm 


view  of  some  of  these  little  animals.  IS'ow  by  filtration,  these 
as  well  as  all  other  suspended  impurities  can  be  removed,  and 
this  is  most  thoroughly  accomplished  by  Jennison's  Diaphragm 
Filter,  a  most  admirable  £,nd  excellent  contrivance,  the  result 
of  skill  and  science  and  a  fresh  contributor  to  human  happi- 
ness and  comfort.     These  filters  ou2:ht  to  be  used  in  everv 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION.       116 

family  where  health,  cleanliness  and  purity  are  really  appre- 
ciated. They  can  be  procured  in  most  of  the  large  cities  of 
the  Union,  and  in  this,  at  349  Broadway. 

The  invalid  must  avoid  all  indigestible  food,  as  salt  and 
smoked  meats,  salt  fish,  butter  and  fatty  substances,  hot-bread, 
rich  cakes,  pastiy,  pan-cakes,  fried  dishes,  lobsters,  (fcc.  The 
periods  for  eating  ought  to  be  fixed,  with  an  interval  of  four  or 
five  hours  between  each  meal.  We  should  always  rest  before 
and  after  each  repast,  and  retire  from  the  table  with  some  ap- 
petite still  remaining.  Most  persons  have  seen  the  quaint  dis- 
tich of  the  able  but  eccentric  Abernethy — 

"If  you  wish  the  gourmand's  motto  to  follow, 
Eat,  digest,  masticate,  and  swallow." 

The  state  of  the  bowels  and  of  the  digestive  system  is  of  the 
utmost  consequence,  and  demands  unremitting  and  regular 
attention.  The  practice  of  constantly  taking  medicine  to  pro- 
duce order  in  this  respect  cannot  be  too  forcibly  objected  to. 
An  occasional  mild  aperient  may  be  necessary,  but  habitual 
purgatives  are  destructive  to  the,  well-being  of  the  general  econ- 
omy, nor  do  they  accomplish  or  induce  the  desired  exactitude ; 
as  after  their  operation  has  ceased  the  bowels  become  more  con- 
stipated. To  effect  regularity  the  great  secret  is  to  set  apart  a 
precise  hour,  and  never  to  defer,  or  allow  any  interruption  to, 
the  methodical  daily  attention  to  this  point  at  that  particular 
period.  This  plan,  if  perseveringly  pursued,  will  be  ultimately 
crowned  with  complete  success,  particularly  if  attention  be  paid 
to  diet,  and  when  requisite  a  proper  selection  made  of  such 
articles  as  have  a  laxative  tendency — sucli  as  vegetables  and 
fruits. 


116       PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 


TOBACCO. 

The  wide  spread  habit  of  smoking  has  not  yet  had  due  me- 
dical attention  paid  to  it  and  its  consequences.  The  effects  pro- 
duced by  the  immoderate  use  of  tobacco  have  been  recently  so 
clearly  pointed  out  by  the  eminent  Dr.  Laycock,  that  I  cannot, 
I  think,  do  better  than  avail  myself  of  his  description  of  them — 
premising  that  my  own  observation  fully  confirms  its  justice 
and  accuracy. 

It  is  only  by  two  or  three  years'  observation  that  Dr.  Laycock 
has  become  fully  aware  of  the  great  changes  induced  in  the 
system  by  the  abuse  of  tobacco,  and  of  the  varied  and  obscure 
forms  of  disease  to  which  especially  excessive  smoking  gives 
origin.  Some  of  these  he  met  with  in  the  pharyngical  mucous 
membrane,  the  stomach,  the  lungs,  the  heart,  the  brain,  and 
the  nervous  system.  The  tobacco  consumed  by  habitual 
smokers  he  estimates  from  half  an  ounce  to  twelve  ounces  per 
week,  the  usual  quantity  from  two  to  three  ounces.  Inveterate 
cigar  smokers  will  consume  from  four  to  five  dozen  per  week. 

The  first  morbid  result  is  an  inflammatory  condition  of  the 
mucous  membrane  of  the  lips  and  tongue ;  then  the  tonsils  and 
pharynx  suffer — the  mucous  membrane  becoming  dry  and  con- 
gested. If  the  thorax  be  examined  well,  it  will  be  found  slightly 
swollen,  with  congested  veins  meandering  over  the  surface,  and 
here  and  there  a  streak  of  mucous.  Action  ascends  upwards 
into  the  posterior  nares,  and  there  is  a  discharge  from  the  upper 
part  of  the  pharynx,  and  irritation  is  felt  w^ithin  the  anterior 
nares. 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVKMENT    OF    VISION.       117 

The  eye  htconies  affected  with  heat ;  slight  redness,  lachry- 
tnatlon,  and  a  pecidiar  spasmodic  action  of  the  orhicidaris 
viuscle  are  experienced,  together  with  intolerance  of  light  on 
awakening  from  sleep  in  the  morning. 

The  frontal  sinuses  do  not  escape :  there  is  a  heavy  dull  ache 
in  their  region. 

Descending  down  the  ahmentary  canal  to  the  stomach,  the 
results,  in  extreme  cases,  are  symptoms  of  gastritis.  Pain, 
tenderness,  and  a  constant  sensation  of  sickness  and  a  desire  to 
expectorate,  belong  to  this  affection. 

The  action  of  the  heart  and  lungs  is  impaired  by  the  influ- 
ence of  the  narcotic  on  the  nervous  system ;  but  a  morbid  state 
of  the  larynx,  trachea,  and  lungs  results  from  the  direct  action 
of  the  smoke.  The  voice  is  observed  to  be  rendered  hoarser, 
and  with  a  deeper  tone.  Sometimes  a  short  cough  results ; 
and  a  case  of  ulceration  of  the  cartilages  of  the  larynx  came 
under  the  doctor's  notice.  The  patient  was  such  a  slave  to 
the  habit  that  he  hardly  ever  had  the  pipe  out  of  his  mouth. 
Similar  sufferings  have  been  caused  by  similar  practices  in  other 
instances. 

Another  form  is  a  slight  tickling  low  down  in  the  pharynx  or 
trachea ;  and  the  patient  coughs,  or  rather  hawks  up  a  grumous 
looking  blood.  It  is  so  alarming  as  to  be  mistaken  for  pulmo- 
nary haemoptysis. 

The  action  of  tobacco  smoking  on  the  heart  is  depressing; 
and  some  individuals  who  feel  it  in  this  organ  more  than  others 
complain  of  an  uneasy  sensation  about  the  left  nipple — a  dis- 
tressing feeling,  not  amounting  to  faintness,  but  allied  to  it. 
The  action  of  the  heart  is  observed  to  be  feeble  and  irregular. 
An  uneasy  feeling  is  also  experienced  in  or  beneath  the  pectoral 
muscles,  and  oftener  on  the  rio^ht  side  than  on  the  left. 


118       PRESERVATIOx\    AKD    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

On  the  brain  the  use  of  tobacco  appears  to  diminish  the  ra- 
pidity of  cerebral  action,  and  check  the  flow  of  ideas  through 
the  mind.  It  differs  from  opium  and  henbanCj  and  rather  ex- 
cites to  wakefulness,  Kke  green  tea,  than  composes  to  sleep — 
induces  a  dreaminess  which  leaves  no  impression  on  the  memory, 
leaving  a  great  susceptibility,  indicated  by  a  trembling  of  the 
hands  and  irritabihty  of  temper.  Such  are  the  secondary  re- 
sults of  smoking.  So  are  blackness  of  the  teeth  and  gum- 
boils :  there  is  also  a  sallow  paleness  of  the  complexion,  an  ir- 
resoluteness  of  disposition,  a  want  of  hfe  and  energy,  and,  in 
constant  smokers  who  do  not  drink,  a  tendency  to  pulmonary 
phthisis. 

Dr.  Wright,  of  Birmingham,  in  a  communication  to  the 
author,  fully  corroborates  these  opinions ;  and  states  that 
smoking  hot  only  is  very  hurtful  to  the  organs  of  vision,  but 
produces  gastric  affections  and  lowness  of  spirits  ;  and,  in 
shorty  is  very  injurious  to  the  respiratory,  circulating,  alimen- 
tary and  nervous  system. 


EDUCATION, 

Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  de- 
part from  it." — Proverbs. 

This  is  a  very  impressive  command  combined  with  a  solemn 
assurance  of  an  ultimate  reward  for  the  trouble,  anxiety  and 
perseverance  necessary  for  the  instruction  of  youlh.  But  pa- 
rents and  others  entrusted  with  so  grave  a  responsibility  as  the 
education  of  the  rising  generation  ought  to  know  that  it  is  not 
enough  to  inculcate  sound  moral  and  religious  principles  in  the 


PRESERVATION    AUD    IMPROVEMENT    OF   VISION.       119 

Qiiiids  of  their  young  charge,  or  to  have  them  perfected  in  every 
grace  and  accomphshment  of  modern  times ;  there  is  yet  another 
duty  to  be  performed,  often  too  much  neglected-  -physical  edu- 
cation— for  while  constant  and  untiring  mental  efforts  are  ever 
required  to  furnish  and  adorn  the  interior,  the  substantiality  of 
the  structure  or  tenement  where  all  is  to  be  lodged,  meets  with 
but  little  consideration  and  less  care.  Indeed  these  attainments 
are  sometimes  purchased  by  a  dreadful  sacrifice.  All  this 
might  be  amended  or  prevented  by  a  happy  combination  of 
mental  and  physical  education. 

I  do  not  for  a  moment  under-estimate  the  value  of  parental 
and  early  mental  culture,  and  the  advantage  of  training  up 
children  to  habits  pf  obedience  and  industry,  for  I  recollect  the 
terrible  judgment  attendant  on  disobedient  and  undutiful  chil- 
dren, according  to  that  awful  scriptural  denunciation — "The 
Eye  that  mocketh  at  his  father  and  despiseth  to  obey  his  mother, 
the  ravens  of  the  valley  shall  pick  it  out  and  the  young  eagles 
shall  eat  it." 

But  I  would  endeavor  to  impress  upon  the  mind  of  the  reader 
that  the  severe  studies  in  some  schools  are  indeed  tasks  whereas, 
they  should  be  regulated  in  proportion  to  the  tender  age  and 
strength  of  constitution  of  each  pupil.  Early  over-application 
to  books  has  caused  in  many  persons  obscurity  of  vision  and 
even  entire  blindness,  rendering  the  balance  of  their  days  miser- 
able and  unhappy.  This  early  over-use  of  the  organs  of  vision 
before  the  system  is  perfected  is  one  reason  why  so  many  stu- 
dents and  young  persons  among  the  wealthier  classes  are  short- 
sighted and  compelled  to  wear  glasses.  Indeed  many  a  student 
would  be  relieved  from  the  lassitude  which  he  feels  while  pour- 
ing over  his  books,  would  he  but  give  a  portion  of  his  precious 
time  to  the  improvement  of  his  health,  and  if  he  cannot  be 
persuaded  to  do  this  he  will  prove  to  his  sorrow  that  "  much 
study  is  a  weariness  to  the  flesh." 


120       PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OP    VISION. 

Childhood  is  the  period  of  exuberant  and  indeed  vehement 
activity,  and  nature  requires  almost  unhmited  and  constant 
exercise.  If  at  this  youthful  and  joyous  period  of  existence  we 
prohibit  the  full  and  free  enjoyment  of  muscular  exertion  we 
are  acting  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  nature  and  this  we  can- 
not do  with  impunity. 

1  have  elsewhere  alluded  to  the  various  kinds  of  exercise ; 
of  course,  in  selecting  the  mode  of  exercise  proper  for  either 
sex,  nature  and  our  own  sense  of  propriety  must  be  our  guide. 

— though  both 


"Not  equal,  as  their  sex  not  equal  seemed, 
For  contemplation  he,  and  valor  formed; 
For  softness  she,  and  sweet  attractive  grace.^ 


HOUSES,  OFFICES  AND  MANUFACTORIES. 

When  we  have  an  opportunity  of  making  a  selection,  a  dry 
elevated  location,  surrounded  by  a  free  circulation  of  air  ought 
always  to  be  chosen,  and  in  cities  the  sunny  side  of  the  street 
is  the  healthiest.  Marshy  situations  are  detrimental  to  vision, 
and  where  necessity  compels  a  residence  in  such  vicinage  it 
were  prudent  to  occupy  a  position  as  much  to  windward  as 
possible. 

The  rooms  should  be  lofty  and  well  lighted,  not  in  the  modern 
style  with  windows  down  to  the  floor.  However  novel  and 
elegant  this  may  appear,  it  is  not  an  improvement  on  the  good 
old  plan  of  our  ancestors,  for  through  such  windows  the  light  is 
reflected  from  below,  and  all  objects  are  consequently  viewed  in 
a  false  light. 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION.      121 

The  light  should  shine  directly  on  the  windows,  and  not  be 
reflected  from  some  opposite  wall  or  building',  particularly  if 
these  should  be  painted  white,  or  white-washed.  1  have  fre- 
quently remarked  with  surprise,  that  many  merchants  and 
others  who  reside  in  princely  palaces  up  town  immure  them- 
selves for  perhaps  twelve  hours  a  day,  or  one  half  their  natural 
lives,  '•  cabined,  cribbed,  confined,"  in  close  back  offices  totally 
dependant  on  the  reflection  from  their  neighbour's  whitened 
wall  for  the  highly  detrimental  and  limited  supply  of  light  which 
they  receive.  Nothing  can  be  more  trying  or  injurious  to  weak 
eyes. 

Sleeping  apartments  and  manufactories,  where  a  number  of 
persons  congregate,  ought  to  be  very  freely  ventilated.  Few 
things  contribute  more  towards  healthy  strong  eyes  than  plenty 
of  fresh  air,  while  many  diseases  are  engendered  by  an  impure 
atmosphere:  the  offensive  exhalations  from  our  proverbially 
dirty  streets  are  a  potent  and  frequent  cause  of  disorders  of  the 
eye. 

The  light  should  be  so  admitted  into  the  rooms  as  to  be  as 
regular  as  possible.  When  it  is  too  glaring  a  blue  or  green 
window  shade  will  be  of  great  advantage.  The  window  shade, 
or  curtain,  ought  to  be  arranged  so  as  not  to  blwv  backwards 
and  forwards,  for  such  vacillation  is  constantly  exposing  the 
eyes  to  sudden  changes  of  light. 

The  walls  and  furniture  of  the  rooms  ought  not  to  be  of  a 
bright  dazzhng  color.  Too  much  gilding  is  also  very  trying  to 
delicate  eyes. 

The  position  of  the  bed  in  our  sleeping  apartment  is  an  ob- 
ject of  some  importance :  it  should  not  be  placed  opposite  to  the 
rising  sun,  for  this  situation  would  expose  us  to  a  strong  and 
sudden  light  on  first  awaking  in  the  morning. 


122      PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

It  would  be  very  desirable  if  the  room  occupied  in  manufac- 
tories, or  elsewhere,  where  persons  are  engaged  in  minute  and 
fatiguing  work,  had  a  good  perspective  or  view  from  the  window, 
for  great  relief  would  be  experienced  in  occasional  cessation  * 
from  work,  when  the  eyes  felt  weary  and  clouded,  by  looking 
out  at  distant  objects.  This  is  the  natural  relaxation  of  the 
eyes. 

How  beautifully  the  wisdom  and  forethought  of  a  kind  Pro- 
vidence is  illustrated  by  the  pervading  colors  of  nature — the 
green  grass  and  the  soft  blue  firmament  present  the  colors  the 
coolest  and  most  refreshing  to  the  eye. 

From  the  cradle  to  the  grave  the  eyes  are  used  unsparingly, 
and  scarcely  is  the  tiny  tenant  of  the  former  rocked  to  slumber 
ere  it  is  startled  from  its  short  repose  and  its  little  eyes  are  ex- 
posed to  a  painful  and  dangerous  ordeal,  for  no  practice  is  more 
common  than  that  of  taking  a  new-born  babe  to  the  bright 
glare  of  the  sun  or  a  lamp,  to  exhibit  the  little  stranger  to  every 
new  visitor.  It  cries  from  the  pain  caused  by  the  light  acting 
on  its  tender  retina.  The  little  "deary"  is  hushed  up,  its 
feeble  screams  of  agony  are  attributed  to  any  thing  but  the 
true  cause,  and  the  same  ceremony  is  repeated  over  and  over 
again — resulting,  unhappily  but  too  often,  in  weakened  or  dis- 
eased vision.  But  the  injurious  effects  of  a  sudden  transition 
from  gloom  to  bright  light,  are  by  no  means  confined  to  infancy. 
We  all  have  felt  pain  and  uneasy  sensations  on  suddenly  going 
out  into  the  bright  sunshine  from  a  dark  room,  or  on  candles 
being  introduced  into  the  apartment  where  we  have  been  sitting 
for  some  time  without  light. 

A  memorable  instance  of  the  effects  of  such  sudden  change 
occurred  at  the  demolition  of  the  French  Bastille.  On  the  day 
on  which  the  head  of  Robespierre  rolled  on  the  scaffold,  the 
Parisian  people,  frantic  with  joy,  burst  in  the  gates  of  that 


PRESERVATION   AND    IMPROVEMENT    OP    VISION.      123 

infernal  prison,  and  gave  freedom  to  the  captives  who  had  so 
long  pined  within  its  dismal  walls.  These,  delirious  with  de- 
light, rushed  through  the  doors,  slippery  with  the  blood  of  so 
many  of  tlieir  ill-fated  companions.  But  their  eyes  so  long 
accustomed  to  the  deep  gloom  of  the  dungeon,  w^ere  unable  to 
bear  the  sudden  flood  of  light  poured  in  upon  them  by  the 
burning  beams  of  a  summer  sun ;  and  many  amongst  them 
only  exchanged  one  sad  calamity  for  another — the  darkness  of 
the  prison  for  that  of  perpetual  blindness. 

The  destructive  effect  of  a  sudden  influx  of  hght  has  some- 
times, with  wicked  ingenuity,  been  made  the  instrument  of  in- 
flicting the  keenest  torture,  for  "  man's  inhumanity  to  man,"  has 
ever  been  a  stain  upon  our  common  nature.  Dionysius,  the 
tyrant  of  Syracuse,  used  to  confine  his  unhappy  victims  in  dun- 
geons of  the  deepest  darkness,  from  which  they  were  violently 
thrust  into  a  chamber,  illuminated  with  the  most  intense  glare 
of  light.  The  poor  wretches,  after  enduring  the  most  excru- 
ciating agony,  were  thus  quickly  deprived  of  sight. 

Every  student  of  ancient  history  is  familiar  with  the  ciuel 
revenge  inflicted  by  the  Carthaginians  on  Regulus  the  Roman 
Consul  and  General,  when  they  had  at  length  made  him  pri 
soner  after  they  had  endured  a  series  of  disastrous  defeats  on 
many  a  battle  field  over  which  the  Roman  Eagles  had  remained 
floating  in  triumph.  They  shut  him  up  in  a  dark  prison,  and 
then,  with  barbarous  cruelty,  having  cut  off*  his  eyeUds,  they 
exposed  him  to  the  fierce  rays  of  a  burning  sun.  In  a  short 
time  the  visual  orb  was  extinguished  for  ever. 


124      PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT   OF    VISION. 


ARTIFICIAL  LIGHT. 

Artificial  light  is  much  more  injurious  and  irritating  to  the 
eyes  than  the  pure  hght  of  day,  because  the  red  and  yellow 
rays  preponderate  over  the  blue ;  consequently  if  we  direct  our 
eyes  to  a  book  or  sheet  of  paper,  we  perceive  it  appears  of  a 
yellowish  or  reddish  tinge  instead  of  white  as  in  the  day  time ; 
the  contmst  between  the  letters  and  the  paper  is  not  so  marked, 
the  letters  are  not  so  accurately  defined,  and  a  greater  effort  of 
the  eyes  becomes  requisite. 

The  increased  heat  from  artificial  light  irritates  the  eyes  and 
causes  chronic  inflammation  of  the  lids  and  a  diseased  s-tate  of 
the  secretions.  Where  many  lights  are  used  the  air  of  the  room 
becomes  parched,  dry  and  hurtful  to  the  eyes,  producing  itchi- 
ness and  stiffness  of  the  lids. 

The  great  desideratum  in  artificial  Hght  is  to  have  it  as  re- 
gular and  steady  as  possible. 

The  qualities  most  desirable  in  a  good  lamp  are,  that  the 
light  should  be  pure,  sufficient,  unwavering,  and  equally  diffused 
and  unaccompanied  by  smell  or  smoke. 

To  attain  these  ends  it  is  necessary  that  the  oil  should  be  of 
a  proper  fluidity  and  be  constantly  elevated  to  the  point  of 
combustion.     In  the  ordinary  lairips,  as  the  astral  and  solar, 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OP    VISION.       125 

the  light  diminishes  as  the  oil  becomes  lessened  in  the  reseiToir. 
The  viscidity  and  consequent  sluggish  supply  of  oil  to  the  wicks 
is  a  great  obstacle  to  the  combustion  of  lamps,  "  an  obstacle 
nearly  insuperable  with  lamps  of  the  common  construction  dur- 
ing the  winter  months."  The  admission  of  an  adequate  supply 
of  atmospheric  air  to  the  flame  is  also  essential,  as  otherwise 
the  light  will  be  insufficient,  or  the  lamp  will  smoke  on  the 
wick  being  elevated. 

Among  the  vast  number  of  lamps  that  have  been  constiiicted 
I  cannot  find  one  that  combines  these  desiderata,  or  indeed  that 
is  free  from  objection.  Dr.  Ure  says  the  Mechanical  or  Carcel 
Lamp  does  not  possess  the  necessary  attributes,  for  the  oil  being 
pumped  up  through  tubes  by  clock  work  to  the  wick  "  prevent3 
perfect  uniformity  since  it  fluctuates  a  little,  but  always  percep- 
tibly to  a  nice  observer  with  the  alternate  action  of  the  pump 
work  becoming  dimmer  after  each  successive  jet  of  oil  and 
brighter  just  before  its  return.  The  flame,  moreover,  always 
flickers  more  or  less,  owing  to  the  powerful  draught  and  rectan- 
gular reverberatory  shoulder  of  the  chimney,"  and  he  concludes 
by  remarking  that  "  they  can  hardly  be  trusted  in  the  hands  of 
a  servant,  and  when  they  get  at  all  deranged  they  must  be  sent 
to  their  constructor  to  be  repaired." 

The  next  lamp  that  deserves  attention  is  Parker's  Hot-Oil 
liamp.  By  means  of  this  contrivance  the  viscidity  of  the  oil  is 
overcome  and  from  the  position  of  the  reservoir  being  above  the 
wick  a  constant  supply  of  oil  is  secured  at  the  proper  elevation 
without  the  necessity  of  any  comphcated  mechanism.  The 
highly  scientific  author  from  whom  I  have  before  quoted,  says 
that  "  the  Hot-Oil  Lamp  burns  with  a  much  steadier  flame  than 
the  Mechanical ;"  and  he  ascertained  that  its  relative  illumina- 
tion, when  compared  with  the  Mechanical  Lamp  was  121  to 
100,  while  the  French  Annular  Lamp  was  found  to  reach  only 
.50.     Notwithstanding  all  this  I  must  say  that  I  do  not  consi- 


126       PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OP   VISION. 

der  Parker's  Lamp  by  any  means  perfect.    The  following  table 
is  the  result  of  Dr.  Ure's  investigations : 

Cost  per  hour  of  100  Illumination. 

Pence. 
Mechanical  or  Carcel  Lamp,  with  sperm  oil,       ------U 

Parker's  Hot-Oil  Lamp,  do.     do.    do. 1 

French  Lamp,  do.     do.    do.       ------    IJ 

Wax  candles, 6 

Spermaceti  candles,  ---------------    5i 

Tallow  candles,        --.- 2i 

Lamps  possess  an  advantage  over  candles,  inasmuch  as  we 
can  increase  or  diminish  the  light  as  is  most  desirable. 

Wax  or  good  spermaceti  candles  produce  a  very  excellent 
light,  but  two  or  more  should  invariably  be  used,  when  reading 
or  working. 

Dr.  Ure  says,  "  after  comparing  lights  of  many  kinds,  I  have 
every  reason  to  conclude  that  a  large  wax  candle  of  three  to 
the  pound,  either  long  or  short,  that  is  either  12  or  15  inches  in 
length,  as  manufactured  by  one  of  the  great  w^ax  chandlers  in 
London,  and  furnished  with  a  wick  containing  27  or  28  threads 
of  the  best  Turkey  cotton,  is  capable  of  furnishing  a  most  uni- 
form or  nearly  invariable  standard  of  illumination."  And  he 
adds  that  it  is  very  remarkable  that  whether  they  were  three's, 
four's,  or  six's  in  the  pound,  each  afforded  very  nearly  the  same 
quantity  of  light,  for  each  required  to  be  placed  at  a  distance 
of  three  feet  from  the  screea  to  afford  a  shadow  of  the  same  tint 
as  that  dropped  from  the  Mechanical  Lamp  estimated  at  100. 

Artificial  light  is  a  highly  interesting  and  important  matter, 
especially  to  persons  with  tender  eyes  who  are  compelled  by 
necessity,  or  who  from  inclination  devote  many  hours  every 
night  to  reading,  writing,  sewing,  or  minute  work  of  any  de- 
scription.     Such  persons  very  frequently,  and,  indeed,  justly 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION.       127 

attribute  various  distressing  sensations  and  diseases  of  the  eyes 
to  improper  or  unsuitable  light.  The  subject  of  illumination 
has  occupied  my  attention  for  some  time,  and  I  am  at  present 
engaged  in  making  a  series  of  experiments.  The  result  of  my 
investigations  I  hope  at  no  distant  period  to  be  enabled  to  pre- 
sent to  the  public  in  some  useful  form. 

Candles  or  lamps  should  not  be  placed  before  the  eyes  ;  the 
light  should  not  fall  perpendicularly  or  horizontally  on  the  sight 
but  obhquely,  and  if  there  are  two  or  more  lights  in  a  room  they 
should  be  of  the  same  height. 

The  injurious  effects  of  artificial  light  may  in  some  degree 
be  prevented  by  protecting  the  eyes  from  the  direct  action  of 
the  light,  by  having  a  shade  over  the  lamp.  This  shade,  or 
reflector,  ought  to  be  made  of  tin  or  brass,  bronzed  on  the  out- 
side, and  painted  with  ultra-marine  of  a  light  blue  color  on  the 
inside.  The  inner  surface  should  be  smooth  and  even,  and 
destitute  of  polish,  or  shining  properties.  Light  that  is  thrown 
from  such  a  shade  on  a  book  or  paper,  will  cause  it  to  appear 
whiter  and  the  letters  more  distinct,  and  the  light  will  be  re- 
freshing and  cooling  to  the  eyes. 

If  a  proper  lamp,  so  arranged,  be  suspended  in  the  centre  of 
a  room  where  a  number  of  persons  are  w^orking  around  a  table, 
there  will  be  sufficient  illumination  for  the  minutest  work. 

Shades  for  lamps  or  candles,  may  be  also  made  of  paste- 
board, the  inside  colored  as  above,  and  the  outside  of  a  gray  or 
neutral  tint. 

Light  blue  glass  chimneys  are  very  useful,  as  they  give  the 
light  a  soft  pleasant  hue. 

Plain  ground  glass  shades  soften  and  diffuse  the  light,  but 
those  that  are  cut  are  highly  objectionable. 


128      PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

Some  artizans  use  a  glass  globe,  filled  with  water,  to  concen- 
trate the  light  on  their  work.  This  contrivance  is  not  to  be 
recommended ;  but  if  a  small  quantity  of  ammoniated  copper 
is  added  to  the  water,  say  sufficient  to  throw  a  sky  blue  color 
on  a  sheet  of  paper  held  behind  the  bottle^n  the  day  time,  it 
will  be  found  to  render  the  light  purer  and  more  refreshing. 

Carbonic  acid  gas,  which  is  produced  by  respiration  and 
during  combustion,  is  a  strong  narcotic  and  destructive  to  life. 
It  is  computed  that  when  an  apartment  containing  a  number 
of  persons  is  illuminated  to  the  ordinary  extent,  four  times  as 
many  cubic  feet  of  fresh  atmospheric  air  a  minute,  as  there  are 
persons  in  the  room,  are  requisite. 

When  the  carbonic  acid  gas,  which  is  generated  by  respira- 
tion and  the  lights,  is  conveyed  away,  and  a  fresh  supply  of 
air  freely  supplied,  no  injury  ensues ;  but  crowded  rooms,  with 
numerous  hghts,  and  badly  ventilated,  are  very  pernicious, 
causing  headaches,  distempered  eyes,  and  general  injury  to 
body  and  mind. 

Compositors,  particularly  those  engaged  on  morning  papers, 
suffer  more  from  these  causes  than  any  other  w^orkmen.  There- 
fore, in  addition  to  the  rooms  being  well  ventilated,  the  lamp 
ought  always  to  have  a  tube  with  a  funnel-shaped  moutJi  hung 
over  it,  and  this  tube  or  pipe  should  be  continued  out  through 
the  roof,  or  into  the  chimney,  to  carry  away  the  foul  air. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  a  little  more  attention  is  not  paid 
to  the  position  of  the  lights  in  our  Lyceums,  Lecture-rooms,  and 
other  Public  buildings.  The  mind  is  so  entertained  by  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  evening,  that  it  pays  but  litlle  heed  to  the  occa- 
sional hints  that  the  eyes  give  of  the  discomfort  to  which  they 
are  subjected  by  being  exposed  to  the  bright  glare  of  a  lamp  or 
gas-burner,  and  the  consequence  not  unfrequently  is  that  these 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION.      129 

do  not  recover  for  several  days  from  the  irritation  thus  produced. 
The  hghts  ought  to  be  of  greater  power  than  they  usually  are, 
and  suspended  in  a  more  elevated  situation.  This  arrange- 
ment of  them  would  not  only  very  much  relieve  the  eyes,  but 
improve  the  atmosphere  of  the  building,  for  much  of  the  impure 
and  vitiated  air  being  above  the  level  of  the  lights,  would  thus 
escape  upwards  w^ithout  offending  the  lungs  of  those  sitting  be- 
low, and  in  this  way,  not  alone  the  eyes,  but  the  respiratory 
organs  also  would  be  saved  from  much,  and,  sometimes,  irre- 
parable injury 


GENERAL  OBSERVATIONS. 

Many  persons  have  a  habit  of  rubbing  their  eyes  in  the 
morning  to  remove,  as  it  is  expressed,  the  "  sleep "  from  them. 
This  is  a  very  pernicious  custom.  The  undue  presstire  on  the 
eyes  is  highly  injurious,  and  consideiable  irritation  is  constantly 
produced  by  the  eye-lashes  being  forced  into  the  eyes.  It  is 
much  more  proper,  and  certainly  more  luxurious,  to  bathe  the 
eyes  with  a  little  cold  water,  or  if  the  secretions  have  become 
hardened  at  the  root  of  the  eye-lashes,  tepid  water  may  be  sub- 
stituted. 

Bathing  the  eyes  two  or  three  times  a  day,  particularly  in 
dusty  weather,  or  whenever  they  feel  heavy  or  fatigued  by 
close  application,  is  salutary  and  beneficial,  and  very  invigorat- 
ing to  the  vision.  This,  however,  should  never  be  performed 
while  in  a  state  of  free  perspiration. 

The  jet,  or  Douche  Bath,  is  exceedingly  appropriate  and 

sometimes  of  incalculable  advantage  in   those  cases  termed 

9 


130      PRESERVATION    A.ND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

"  weakness  of  sight,"  and  also  in  a  great  variety  of  other  affec- 
tions arising  from  debility  or  want  of  energy  in  the  nervous 
structure  of  the  eyes. 

Cologne  water,  or  other  spirituous  applications  to  the  temples, 
once  or  twice  a  day,  may  be  used  as  additional  auxiharies  for 
restoring  the  tone  of  the  eyes. 

It  is  exceedingly  important  to  guard  the  eyes  against  expo- 
sure to  the  injurious  effects  of  briUiant  and  reflected  light.  The 
most  disastrous  consequences  may  result  from  the  neglect  of 
this  precaution ;  and  so  well  has  this  been  taught  by  experience 
to  even  the  unlettered  savage,  that  he  has  invented  a  sort  of 
snow  spectacles,  or  snow  eyes^  "  yeiix  a  la  niege^'^  as  they  are 
called  by  the  French  settlers  near  the  Esquimaux  of  Hudson's 
Bay,  to  preserve  the  eyes  from  the  dreaded  effects  produced  by 
the  intense  reflexion  of  the  sun's  rays. 

The  most  dreadful  sufferings,  and,  in  numerous  instances,  a 
total  loss  of  vision,  have  been  endured  by  whole  armies  in 
marching  through  the  parched  and  sandy  deserts  of  the  East, 
where — 

"Vertical  the  sun, 
Darts  on  the  head  direct  his  forceful  rays : 
In  vain  the  sight  dejected  to  the  ground 
Stoops  for  relief;  thence  hot  ascending  streams, 
And  keen  reflection  pain  !" — Thmnpson. 

The  celebrated  Greek  historian  Xenophon,  mentions,  in  that 
admirable  and  graphic  work,  the  "Cyropedia."  that  on  one 
occasion  the  army  of  Cyrus  marching  for  several  days  through 
mountains  covered  with  snow,  the  dazzling  splendor  of  its 
whiteness  prejudiced  the  sight  of  many  of  his  soldiers  and 
blinded  some  of  them. 

We  ought  to  avoid  exposing  the  eyes  to  smoke  or  to  high 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION.       ISi' 

wind ;  and,  wlien  we  can  conveniently  do  so,  we  should  keep 
within  doors  when  the  dust  is  blowing  about. 

We  must  not  tax  the  eyes  too  much,  even  although  they  may 
seem  to  be  in  a  sound  state,  if  we  are  desirous  of  possessing 
vision  intact  to  a  good  old  age.  Continued  reading  of  bad 
print  severely  tries  the  eyes,  as  does  the  pernicious  custom  of 
reading  by  twilight  or  by  the  light  of  the  fire. 

Newspapers  require  to  be  well  aired  or  dried  before  venturing 
on  their  perusal. 

Students  and  literary  persons  will  find  it  a  great  advantage 
to  vary  their  position  while  pursuing  their  studies,  by  sometimes 
standing  at  an  elevated  desk,  thereby  avoiding  the  constant 
stooping  of  the  head.  Another  golden  rule  for  their  observa- 
tion is  never  to  go  to  bed  with  cold  feet. 

Young  persons,  of  delicate  sight,  ought  to  select  an  occu- 
pation, or  business,  that  does  not  require  a  close  appHcation  of 
the  eyes ;  but  persons  with  impaired  vision,  who  are  advanced 
in  life,  and  who  are  dependant  solely  on  their  labour  for  a  sub- 
sistence for  themselves,  and  perhaps  their  families,  are,  indeed 
greatly  to  be  commisserated  if  their  employment  is  of  that 
minute  nature  which  is  so  injurious  to  the  sight.  Book-keepers, 
compositors,  engravers,  watchmakers,  tailors,  and  shoemakers, 
are  the  persons  that  most  frequently  suffer,  and  especially  our 
poor  industrious  sempstresses  and  tailoresses,  who  toil  from 
morning  to  night,  and,  oftentimes,  through  the  long  and  tedious 
hours  of  the  night  to  obtain  a  scanty  and  precarious  livelihood. 

It  is  necessary  to  be  very  prudent  and  cautious  under  such 
circumstances,  especially  if  it  be  observed  that  the  eyes  can  no 
longer  see  at  the  distance  they  were  accustomed  to,  that  they 
feel  hot,  dull,  heavy  or  painful  after  close  application,  which  is 


f 

132      PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

relieved  by  a  cessation  from  employment ;  or  if  they  present  a 
red,  weakened  or  watery  appearance,  or  that  the  other  premon- 
itory symptoms  are  present,  enumerated  in  our  description  of 
that  afflicting  disease  Amaurosis,  which  is  so  feehngly  pour-  • 
trayed  by  the  suffering  Milton, — 

"  These  eyes,  though  clear 
To  outward  view,  of  blemish,  or  of  spot, 
Bereft  of  light,  their  seeing  have  forgot ; 
Nor  to  the  idle  orbs  doth  sight  appear 
Of  sun,  or  moon,  or  star  throughout  the  year ! 
Or  man,  or  woman !" 

Many  of  the  foregoing  suggestions  will,  if  adopted,  be  found 
beneficial  to  persons  who  are  forewarned  by  any  of  the  symp- 
toms above  described.  I  would,  in  addition,  advise  them  to 
vary  their  work  as  much  as  possible,  ajid,  if  practicable,  to 
work  only  by  day-light ;  or,  at  least,  to  select  the  most  difficult 
work  for  the  day  time,  deferring  the  easier  part  for  night-work. 
Stopping  for  even  a  short  interval  to  rest  the  eye§,  and  bathing 
them  in  cold  water,  will  be  found  refreshing,  as  well  as  walking 
outside  the  building  for  a  few  minutes,  or  looking  out  of  the 
window.  Immediate  application  to  business  on  first  rising  in 
the  morning,  or  too  soon  after  meals,  ought  to  be  avoided. 
A  flat  open  vessel,  containing  water,  and  placed  in  a  hot  room, 
particularly  if  it  be  heated  by  a  stove  or  anthracite  coal,  will, 
from  its  constant  evaporation,  in  some  degree  prevent  the  air 
from  becoming  dry  and  parched ;  and  persons  working  close  to 
a  strong  light,  will  find  that  if  they  lay  a  wet  sponge  near 
them  it  will  sensibly  moisten  and  cool  the  air,  and  thus,  to 
some  extent,  reHeve  the  eyes  from  its  hurtful  effects. 

In  several  instances  of  affections  of  the  nervous  structure  of 
the  eye,  I  have  found  the  electro-magnetic  battery,  judiciously 
applied,  a  powerful  auxiliary  in  their  treatment.  It  requires 
however  the  exercise  of  some  skill  in  its  apphcation. 


PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF   VISION.       133 

The  Magneto-Electrical  Instruments  manufactured  for  this 
purpose  by  B.  Pike  &  Sons,  166  Broadway,  are  decidedly  supe- 
rior to  all  others  tliat  I  have  examined. 

Whenever  any  trifling-  affection  of  the  eye  occurs,  there  is 
usually  an  immediate  resort  to  the  use  of  shades^  and  this, 
though  very  often  highly  pernicious,  the  oculist  finds  some 
difficulty  in  preventing,  as  the  opinioi:  of  their  usefulness  and 
necessity  is  strongly  rooted  and  universal.  They  are  really 
requisite  where  there  is  great  intolerance  of  light,  but  in  slight 
complaints  they  are  very  injurious. 

Case. — On  a  recent  occasion,  a  celebrated  Comedian  called 
at  my  office.  He  had  on  the  usual  green  shade,  his  eyes  were 
a  little  heated  and  tender,  and  suffused  with  tears.  On  enter- 
ing, he  exclaimed,  his  countenance  assuming  a  peculiarly  arch 
and  expressive  look, 

"  Forgive  the  gushing  tear ! 
Alas !  I  feel  I  am  no  actor  here." 

After  this  somewhat  ludicrous  prologue,  I  made  an  exam- 
ination, and  perceiving  that  his  ailment  was  very  trifling,  1 
recommended  him  to  bathe  his  eyes  with  rose-water  and  to 
dispense  with  his  shade.  He  followed  my  advice,  and  the  ten- 
derness and  lachrymation  speedily  disappeared. 

Shades  are  sometimes  necessary  when  the  light  is  very  pain- 
ful to  the  eyes,  but  in  slight  attacks  they  are  worse  than  use- 
less, as  they  prevent  a  free  circulation  of  air  around  the  eyes, 
keep  up  the  heat  and  inflammation,  and  exclude  the  light 
which  is  the  natural  stimulus  of  the  eyes.  Where  they  are 
worn  they  should  be  very  light,  and  not  press  tightly  or  heavily 
on  the  eye  or  brow.  The  color  of  the  silk  with  which  they  are 
covered  should  be  either  blue  or  green. 


134       PRESERVATION    AND    IMPROVEMENT    OF    VISION. 

The  influence  of  the  mind  on  the  eye  and  its  affections^  is 
highly  important,  and  deserves  serious  attention.  Immoderate 
excess  of  any  of  the  passions,  unnatural  commotions  of  the 
mind,  anger,  rage,  and  such  like,  are  exceedingly  detrimental 
to  the  visual  faculties.  Yiolent  temper  must  therefore  be  con- 
trolled, undue  excitability  subdued,  and  abstinence  from  other 
vicious  habits  inculcated. 

The  depressing  passions,  or  those  that  lower  the  animal  and 
vital  powers,  especially  giief,  have  a  direct  tendency  to  weaken 
or  even  destroy  sight.  Many  sad  and  touching  instances  of 
total  blindness  from  excessive  sorrow  have  occurred,  where  the 
unhappy  and  deeply  afflicted  sufferer  "  opened  the  flood-gates 
of  the  heart,"  and  "  would  not  be  comforted,"  but  was  "  like 
Niobe,  all  tears." 

The  salutary  effects  resulting  from  a  serene  and  tranquil 
mind,  are  felt  in  no  part  of  the  system  more  beneficially  than 
in  the  eye,  allaying  its  tendency  to  irritability,  and  adding  to 
it  renewed  tone  and  vigor.  It  is  therefore  exceedingly  desirable 
to  promote  this  happy  condition  of  the  mind  by  cheerful  com- 
pany, agreeable  society,  and  occasional  indulgence  in  harmless 
and  innocent  amusement  or  I'ecreation. 

Many  of  the  rules  that  I  have  urged  as  essential  for  the  pre- 
servation of  the  eyes,  are  every  day  violated  by  the  unthinking 
with  apparent  impunity ;  but  although  the  eyes  may  for  a  long 
time  resist  these  deleterious  practices  or  influences,  yet  sooner 
or  later  must  the  penalty  be  paid,  for  ultimate,  if  not  present 
suffering  will  be  the  inevitable  result. 


NEAR    SIGHT  AND  FAR  SIGHT.  135 


NEAR  SIGHT  AND  FAR  SIGHT. 


I  have  elsewhere  alluded  to  what  is  termed  "  Asthenopia," 
(from  a  priv.  sOsvos,  strength,  and  on-?,  the  eye)  or  "  weakness  of 
the  sight,"  and  the  proper  course  to  be  pursued  under  the  ex- 
istence of  such  a  condition  of  the  eyes. 

Before,  however,  entering  on  the  subject  of  near  sight  and 
far  sight,  I  may  mention  that  there  is  a  peculiar  state  of  the 
eye  called  "Day-blindness,"  or,  as  it  is  technically  termed, 
Hemeralopia,  from  ^t^a,  day,  a  priv.  and  Sipis,  vision.  Where 
this  exists  the  individual  can  only  see  imperfectly  during  the 
day,  but  in  the  evening  vision  is  greatly  improved.  This  affec- 
tion seems  to  arise  from  a  particular  sensibility  of  the  retina  to 
light.  The  Albino  labors  to  some  extent  under  this  disad- 
vantage. 

There  is  another  affection,  Nyctalopia,  (from  vv^,  nighty  a 
priv.  and  Sipi(r,  vision,)  or  "  nighc-blindness,"  wherein  the  per- 
son can  see  with  distinctness  during  the  day  but  cannot  dis- 
tinguish objects  in  the  evening  or  at  night,  this  being  exactly 


136  SHORT    SIGHTEDNESS. 

the  reverse  of  the  former  affection.  I  had  recently  a  patient, 
a  coloured  man,  a  native  of  Cuba,  who  laboured  under  this 
defect  from  his  childhood.  He  was  a  tailor,  and  could  see  dis- 
tinctly to  work  in  the  day-time  although  he  held  objects  closer 
to  his  eyes  than  is  usual,  but  he  could  not  see  at  ail  at  night. 
After  some  preparatory  treatment  I  provided  him  with  concave 
glasses,  and  by  their  aid,  to  his  great  satisfaction,  he  was  enabled 
to  walk  about  the  streets  in  the  evening,  as  he  could  discern 
sufficiently  well  to  avoid  coming  in  contact  with  the  passers-by. 


SHORT  SIGHTEDNESS. 

Myopia,  so  called  from  the  Greek  words /^vw,  I  shut,  and  &>?//, 
the  eye,  because  when  short-sighted  persons  look  at  distant  ob- 
jects they  half  close  the  eye-hds.  If  a  person  cannot  see  to  read 
with  distinctness  and  ease  common-sized  print  at  a  distance  of 
about  twelve  inches,  he  may  be  said  to  be  myopic  or  short-sight- 
ed. If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  point  of  distinct  vision  is  at  a 
greater  distance  than  fifteen  inches,  he  is  said  to  be  presbyopic 
or  far  sighted.  Perfect  vision  ranges  from  nine  to  fifteen  inches. 
If  it  is  below  nine  or  above  fifteen  inches  it  may  be  distinct  but 
it  is  not  perfect.  Near  sight  is  almost  exclusively  confined  to 
young  persons,  but  not  invariably,  as  aged  persons  are  some- 
times near-sighted.  It  is  generally  first  observed  about  the  age 
of  puberty,  when  steady  application  of  the  eyes  is  required  for 
study  or  any  minute  occupation,  and  this  is  the  reason  why  so 
many  young  persons  devoted  to  literary  pursuits  are  short-sight- 
ed. The  individual  remarks  that  he  cannot  see  so  well  as  his 
companions  or  acquaintances,  cannot  distinguish  his  friends  at 
a  little  distance,  nor  read  the  names  of  streets  or  sign-boards 
without  approaching  close  to  them,  and  when  reading  he  must 


SHORT  SIGHTEDNESS. 


137 


bring  the  book  closer  to  his  eyes  than  the  generality  of  persons 
do.  If  he  puts  on  a  pair  of  concave  glasses  he  is  quite  astonish- 
ed and  pleased  to  find  that  he  can  see  with  the  utmost  clearness 
objects  which  were  before  undistinguishable  at  the  same  distance. 

Myopia  gradually  increases  if  too  close  application  of  the  eyes 
is  made  to  minute  objects.  It  has  been  caused  suddenly  in 
some  instances  by  exposure  to  cold  or  damp.  It  is,  however, 
generally  caused  by  some  peculiar  mechanical  conformation  of 
the  eye,  or  by  too  great  a  density  of  the  refractive  media.  The 
cornea  or  the  crystalline  lens  is  too  convex,  or  the  distance  be- 
tween either  of  these  parts  and  the  retina  is  too  great,  or  their 
refractive  density  is  too  powerful,  or  the  adjusting  powxr  may  be 
disarranged.  Yf  e  noticed  before,  when  speaking  of  the  forma- 
tion of  images,  that  the  rays  of  light  flowing  from  the  object  at 
which  we  look  are  brought  to  an  exact  focus  on  the  retina,  and 
consequently  the  image  is  depicted  there.  We  also  ascertained 
in  examining  the  properties  of  convex  lenses  that  the  greater 
the  convexity  the  greater  is  the  refractive  power,  so  that  if  any 
of  the  causes  which  I  have  just  now  enumerated  exists,  the  rays 
of  light  proceeding  from  the  object  are  too  powerfully  refracted, 
and  unite  in  a  focus  before  they  arrive  at  the  retina,  as  exhibited 
in  the  annexed  diagram. 


Although  the  focal  point  of  the  rays  does  not  reach  the  retina 
but  is  anterior  to  it.  nevertheless  some  sensation  is  produced,  be- 
ing a  kind  of  indistinct  vision,  and  this  is  caused  by  the  rays 


138  SHORT  sightiI'dness. 

crossing  one  another  at  their  focai  point  and  proceeding  on  to 
the  retina  where  they  form  a  faint  and  confused  impression. 

Near-sighted  persons  are  observed  generally  to  have  promi- 
nent eyes.  The  cornea  is  convex,  the  anterior  chamber  deep, 
the  pupil  large,  and  the  entire  eye  firm  to  the  touch ;  sometimes, 
however,  there  is  no  peculiarity  noticeable,  as  the  difficulty  may 
be  in  the  interior  of  the  eye. 

Near-sighted  persons  see  with  great  distinctness  when  they 
bring  the  object  close  to  their  eyes.  This  is  owing  to  their  see- 
ing the  object  under  a  greater  angle  than  other  persons ;  that 
is  to  say,  the  extreme  rays,  and  indeed  all  the  others  become 
divergent,  owing  to  the  before-mentioned  causes ;  this  can  be 
seen  in  the  following  cut — 


e 


A.  represents  the  eye,  and  the  object  b.  c.  seen  at  m,  and  also 
at  n.  double  the  distance  will  of  course  appear  under  different 
angles  to  the  eye.  for  b.  A.  c.  is  larger  than  d.  A.  e.  and  will 
include  it,  so  that  to  bring  an  object  close  to  the  eye  has  the 
effect  of  magnifying  it,  or  of  causmg  the  rays  to  diverge,  that  is 
though  b.  c.  and  d.  e.  are  of  the  same  lengths,  yet  b.  c.  being 
nearer  the  eye  will  appear  the  largest. 

Near-sighted  persons  see  small  objects  more  distinctly  than 
other  persons,  because  they  view  them  under  a  larger  visual 
angle  as  we  have  just  seen.  They  also  see  them  with  a  weaker 
light,  because  the  object  being  closer  to  the  eye,  a  greater  num- 
ber of  rays  proceeding  from  it  arrives  at  the  eye. 

They  also  see  better  and  a  httle  further  off  by  a  bright  than 


FAR    SIGHTEDNESS.  139 

by  a  moderate  light,  because  the  pupil  is  contracted  by  the  strong 
light  and  consequently  the  circumferential  rays,  or  all  but  the 
more  central  and  direct  ones,  are  excluded,  and  for  this  reason  if 
they  look  through  a  small  hole  in  a  card  they  can  see  at  some 
distance.  It  is  on  the  same  principle  they  close  the  eye-lids 
when  trying  to  view  distant  objects. 

Fortunately  for  mankind  art  offers  means  for  overcoming  the 
inconveniences  of  short-sightedness.  These,  however,  we  will 
postpone  speaking  of  until  we-  have  considered  the  opposite  state 
of  the  eye,  viz.  far-sightedness. 


PRESBYOPIA. 

From  npsaPva-,  old,  and  wj//,  the  eye. 

Far-sightedness — so  called,  because  it  is  a  concomitant  symp- 
tom of  advanced  age ;  but  as  Myopic  eyes  are  not  in  every  case 
confined  to  young  persons,  so  also  Presbyopic  eyes  are  not  the 
attribute  of  advanced  age  solely,  for  they  are  met  with  occa- 
sionally in  early  life.  In  most  persons,  however,  the  refractive 
power  of  the  eyes  begins  to  diminish  at  about  forty  years  of 
age,  and  continues  to  decrease  as  they  become  more  advanced. 
In  fact,  Presbyopia  may  be  considered  a  natural  change. 

Persons  are  said  to  be  presbyopic  when  they  are  compelled  to 
hold  a  book  at  a  distance  of  two  feet  or  upwards  from  them 
when  reading,  although  they  had  formerly  been  able  to  read  at 
a  distance  of  from  nine  to  fifteen  inches.  Those  who  are  so 
situated  find  it  difficult  to  execute  any  minute  work,  such  as  to 
mend  a  pen  or  thread  a  needle.  When  persons  become  far- 
sighted  the  eyes  do  not  appear  so  prominent  as  they  did  previ- 
ously. The  cornea  or  the  lens  is  flatter  than  formerly,  or  the 
distance  between  these  structures  and  the  retina  is  too  short. 


140  FAR    SIGHTEDNESS. 

and  the  adjusting  power  of  the  eye  is  generally  more  or  less 
impaired.  The  effect  produced  in  either  of  these  cases  is  to 
prevent  the  rays  of  iight  flowing  from  the  object  from  being 
converged  or  brought  to  a  focus,  until  they  pass  beyond  the 
retina,  as  is  shown  in  the  figure. 


Presbyopic,  eyes  have  generally  a  sunken  appearance.  The 
cornea  is  flat  and  small,  and  the  pupil  contracted ;  and  in  el- 
derly persons  an  opaque  ring  or  circle  is  observed  around  the 
margin  of  the  cornea, — the  arcus  senilis^  or  ring  of  age.  Par- 
sighted  persons  see  a  distant  object  distinctly,  because  the  rays 
that  flow  from  it  are  not  as  divergent  as  those  from  near  objects, 
and  consequently  come  more  speedily  to  a  focus.  Therefore  it 
is  that  persons  with  this  condition  of  eye  hold  a  book  at  arm's 
length  when  reading  it,  inasmuch  as  the  rays  that  proceed  from 
it  require  less  refractive  power  to  bring  them  to  a  focus  at  the 
retina. 

Aged  persons  cannot  see  minute  objects  clearly  at  any  dis- 
tance, because  when  they  are  near  they  are  not  within  the  focus 
of  the  eye,  and  when  distant  they  are  seen  at  a  small  visual 
angle,  and  with  little  light ;  therefore  aged  persons  in  addition 
to  holding  the  book  at  a  distance  from  them  when  reading  are 
accustomed  also  if  it  be  at  night  to  place  the  candle  before  them 
and  near  the  book,  and  thus  by  throwing  an  increased  amount 
of  light  on  the  page  they  can  read  with  more  facility. 


FAR    SIGHTEDNESS.  141 

The  eye  in  its  natural  state  is,  as  we  have  before  observed, 
adjusted  to  distant  objects,  and  it  requires  an  effort  to  view  near 
ones.  This  exertion,  if  long  continued,  becomeswery  fatiguing 
and  indeed  painful,  and  causes  considerable  uneasiness  in  the 
l)rows  and  temples.  This  is  more  particularly  the  case  with 
presbyopic  persons,  for  the  refractive  power  of  their  eyes  being 
lessened,  their  sensibility  impaired,  and  the  adjusting  apparatus 
become  rigid  by  age,  an  extraordinary  exertion  and  continued 
t<training  are  requisite  to  perceive  the  object 

The  density  of  the  refractors  is  sometimes  mcreased  in  old 
})ersons.  This,  in  some  degree,  compensates  for  their  flatness : 
the  rays  are  refracted  so  as  to  come  to  a  focus  at  the  retina,  and 
in  this  way  vision  is  preserved  to  extreme  pld  age. 


142  THE    USE    AND    ABUSE    OF    SPECTACLES. 


THE  USE  AND  ABUSE  OF  SPECTACLES. 


If  light  be  one  of  the  most  wonderful  and  beneficial  agents 
in  the  material  creation,  supplying  life  and  comfort  to  our  phy- 
sical system,  giving  beauty  and  fertility  to  the  earth,  and  un- 
folding to  us  the  magnificent  scenery  of  external  nature,  yet  if 
our  vision  be  impaired,  we  are  in  a  great  degree  shut  out  from 
the  enjoyment  of  those  admirable  beauties  and  exquisite  plea- 
sures of  which  light  is  the  essential  source. 

"  Our  sight,"  says  Addison,  in  one  of  his  charming  papers, 
"  is  the  most  perfect  and  dehghtful  of  all  our  senses.  It  fills 
the  mind  with  the  largest  variety  of  ideas,  converses  with  its 
objects  at  the  greatest  distance,  and  continues  the  longest  in 
action  without  being  tired  or  satiated  with  its  proper  enjoy- 
ments. It  may  be  considered  as  a  more  delicate  and  diffusive 
kind  of  touch,  that  spreads  itself  over  an  infinite  multitude  of 
bodies,  comprehends  the  largest  figures,  and  brings  into  our 
reach  some  of  the  more  remote  parts  of  the  universe." 

But  if  there  be  any  thing  wrong  with  the  wonderful  little 
organ  through  which  this  exquisite  sense  of  sight  exercises  its 


THE    USE    AND    ABUSE    OE    SPECTACLES.  143 

beautiful  and  multifarious  functions ;  if  there  be  any  impair- 
ment of  its  delicate  and  complicated  structure,  its  muscles,  its 
coats  or  membranes,  or  different  humours  with  their  various 
refractive  powers,  we  are  at  once  deprived  of  much  of  the  en- 
joyment intended  to  be  furnished  us  through  this  master  piece 
of  Divine  mechanism. 

One  of  the  most  inestimable  blessings  therefore  conferred  by 
art  on  civilized  man  was  the  discovery  of  spectacles,  for  without 
their  assistance  the  inconveniences  resulting  from  the  inefficient 
vision  of  the  myopic,  or  the  prespyopic,  would  be  irremediable ; 
the  scholar  would  be  compelled  to  relinquish  the  prosecution  of 
his  studies,  the  litterateur  to  abandon  his  dehghtful  and  fasci- 
nating avocations,  the  artist  to  resign  his  pencil  at  the  moment 
perhaps  of  his  higtiest  triumph,  and  the  artizan  be  deprived  of 
his  capital — his  eyes,  by  the  use  of  which  he  earns  a  comfort- 
able and  independent  subsistence. 

The  short-sighted  and  the  far-sighted  are  thus  provided  with 
the  means  of  obviating  what  would  be  otherwise  an  irreparable 
calamity,  by  the  simplest  of  all  optical  instruments — a  pair  of 
spectacles. 

Surely  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  science  which  affords 
such  assistance  to  the  defective  visual  organ  is  above  all  price. 

The  eye  without  an  appropriate  degree  of  hght,  would  be  a 
useless  machine.  Spectacles  collect  the  light  and  bring  it  to 
the  proper  point  of  convergence,  and  through  their  aid  we  are 
.enabled  to  continue  to  use  the  most  invaluable  of  our  senses  to 
extreme  old  age. 


144 


THE    USE    AXD    ABUSE    OF    SPECTACLES. 


SHORT  SIGHT. 

We  liave  seen  that  the  property  of  a  concave  lens  is  to  cause 
the  rays  of  hght  to  diverge ;  now,  as  in  the  myopic  eye  the  rays 
converge  too  speedily,  that  is,  come  to  a  focal  point  before  they 
arrive  at  the  retina,  we  place  a  suitable  concave  lens  before 
the  eye  as  exhibited  below. 


This  will  retard  their  convergence,  in  other  words,  throw 
back  their  focal  point  exactly  on  the  retina,  and  thus  by  this 
simple  mechanical  contrivance  we  are  at  once  enabled  to  re- 
lieve the  myopic  eye  and  to  render  it  perfectly  efficient. 

But  great  as  are  the  advantages  afforded  by  the  use  of  pro- 
perly selected  spectacles,  still  to  decide  on  the  propriety  of  a 
patient's  using  them,  requires  nice  discrimination  and  sound 
judgment,  for  undoubtedly  they  are  injurious  to  the  healthy 
eye.  One  finds  his  sight  impaired,  and  vision  indistinct,  after 
perhaps  arduous  and  close  application  of  the  eyes,  and  he  is 
immediately  anxious  to  provide  himself  with  glasses ;  but  it  is 
necessary  first  to  ascertain  whether  the  decrease  in  the  power 
of  vision  may  not  be  merely  temporary,  occasioned  by  the 
retina  being  over-worked,  or  less  sensible  than  usual  to  impres- 
sions ;  for  if  this  be  the  case,  although  the  spectacles  for  the 
moment  relieve  the  sight,  rendering  objects  plain  and  distinct, 
yet  this  advantage  will  be  acquired  at  the  price  of  ultimate 


THE    USE   AND    ABUSE  OF  SPECTACLES.  145 

injury,  or  perhaps  complete  blindness,  the  disease  being  con- 
firmed by  this  injudicious  recourse  to  spectacles,  while  other 
means  might  have  been  resorted  to  that  would  have  preseiTed 
vision. 

If  short-sightedness  arises  from  a  change  in  the  refractive 
media,  concave  glasses  are  right  and  proper ;  but  if  it  is  occa- 
sioned by  a  deprivation  of  the  due  adjusting  power  of  the  eye 
to  distant  objects,  then  spectacles  do  more  harm  than  good,  nor 
can  their  use  be  again  dispensed  with,  whereas  by  proper  treat- 
ment and  care  the  adapting  power  might  have  been  fully 
restored. 

The  next  important  consideration  is  the  precise  time  when 
it  becomes  necessary  to  make  use  of  spectacles ;  for,  while  the 
worst  consequences  may  ensue  from  their  too  early  use,  there 
is  no  doubt  that  equally  injurious  results  will  arise  from  defer- 
ing  it  beyond  the  appropriate  period.  Age  is  no  guide  as  to 
the  time  when  glasses  ought  to  be  adopted,  for  this  entirely  de- 
pends on  the  deterioration  of  the  eye  from  ill  health,  over-use, 
or  original  malformation. 

Spectacles  ought  to  be  procured  as  soon  as  the  symptoms  of 
short-sightedness,  described  a  few  pages  back,  are  developed. 
No  apprehension  of  injury  need  be  entertained  from  the  use  of 
proper  glasses  when  their  necessity  is  thus  indicated,  whereas 
abstaining  from  their  use,  under  such  circumstances,  causes 
constant  straining  of  the  eye  and  irreparable  mischief. 

But  if  proper  glasses  are  selected,  and  judicious  care  be  taken 
of  the  eyes,  the  same  power  may  be  sufficient  for  life.  If.  how- 
ever, wrong  glasses  are  chosen  in  the  first  instance,  or  if  the 
organ  of  sight  is  misused,  the  eyes  soon  become  accustomed  to 
them,  and  after  a  short  time  demand  a  higher  power,  and  fur- 
ther additional  changes  are  soon  again  required,  until  the  un- 

10 


145  THE    USE    AND    ABUSE    OP    SPECTACLES. 

fortunate  person  exhausts  the  resources  of  art  and  at  the  same 
time  completes  his  own  misery. 

It  is  an  error  to  suppose  that  near  sight  improves  as  age  ad- 
vances, or  that  imperfections  are  removed  by  the  aid  of  glasses. 
These,  indeed,  compensate  for  the  alteration  in  the  refractive 
media,  but  they  cannot  remove  it. 

To  cause  the  picture  to  be  thrown  back  on  the  retina,  short- 
sighted persons  wear  double  concave  glasses.  The  range  of 
vision  is  altered  in  proportion  to  the  depth  of  their  concavity, 
and  of  course  this  is  different  to  suit  the  different  cases ;  the 
power  of  those  in  general  use  varies  from  one  to  twelve  inch 
focus. 

In  selecting  glasses,  the  lowest  power  ought  to  be  chosen 
that  will  enable  the  individual  to  see  with  comfort  and  ease  ob- 
jects that  are  close  at  hand,  as  well  as  those  that  are  remote. 
in  fact,  they  should  procure  rest  and  comfort  for  the  eye  at  the 
same  time  that  they  enable  it  to  see  wiih  perfect  distinctness. 
If  they  tire  and  fatigue  the  eye,  it  is  a  proof  that  they  are  not 
required  at  all,  or  that  they  are  totally  unsuitable  for  the  case, 
but  if  rightly-selected  they  will  relieve  and  preserve  vision. 
Glasses  that  diminish  the  object  dazzle  and  irritate  the  eyes 
and  must  not  be  worn. 

After  severe  and  long-continued  exertion  the  eyes  are  in  a 
forced  and  unnatural  state,  and  completely  unfitted  for  deter- 
mining the  most  appropriate  glasses.  So  also  after  trying  on 
a  number  of  spectacles,  for  the  eye  endeavours  to  accommodate 
itself  to  every  change,  and  the  sight  becomes  confused  and  tired. 
Therefore  it  is  proper  in  the  former  instance  to  rest  the  eyes  for 
a  few  days  before  purchasing ;  and  in  the  latter  not  to  decide 
on  the  spectacles  until  they  have  been  tested  at  home  for  two 
or  three  days. 


THE  USE    AND    ABUSE    OF    SPECTACLES. 


147 


When  spectacles  are  first  worn  they  generally  cause  head- 
ache and  vertigo.  For  this  reason  they  should  not  in  the  com- 
mencement be  used  except  at  intervals ,  neither  ought  they  at 
any  time  to  be  worn  constantly,  but  occasionally  removed,  and 
the  adjusting  power  of  the  eye  regularly  exercised  by  viewing 
distant  objects. 


AGED  SIGHT. 


We  know  that  a  convex  lens  has  the  power  of  making  the 
rays  converge,  and  therefore  we  place  a  proper  convex  lens  be- 
fore the  eye  of  the  presbyopic  as  here  represented: — 


The  rays  are  brought  to  a  focus  and  made  to  impinge  on  the 
retina,  so  that  by  interposing  a  little  piece  of  glass  between  the 
eye  of  the  presbyopic  and  the  object  which  he  views,  we  are 
enabled  to  triumph  over  the  advances  of  nature  and  confer  upon 
the  aged-sighted  the  inestimable  advantage  of  remaining  in 
possession  of  the  noblest  of  his  senses. 

Those  that  are  long-sighted  ought  not  to  defer  wearing  spec- 
tacles from  the  fear  of  requirmg  constantly  to  increase  the  power, 
for  if  the  glasses  are  properly  selected  in  the  first  instance,  and 
due  care  is  taken  of  the  eyes,  the  first  number  which  is  usually 


14g 


THE    USE    AND   ABUSE   OP    SPECTACLES. 


worn, — thirty-six  inch  focus,  or  preserves,  as  they  are  called, — 
will  answer  for  six  or  seven  years. 

These  should  not  be  readily  changed  for  ones  of  higher  power, 
nor  indeed  till  all  the  symptoms  are  again  present  which  in- 
duced their  first  adoption. 

The  lowest  power  that  will  enable  the  presbyopic  to  see  as 
he  was  accustomed  to  before  any  change  took  place,  ought  to 
be  at  first  selected.  With  glasses  that  are  not  sufficiently  convex 
he  cannot  see  distinctly  unless  the  book  is  farther  from  the  eye, 
and  if  they  are  too  convex  the  book  must  be  brought  nearer  to 
the  eye,  than  when  the  sight  was  good.  In  this  latter  case  the 
letters  will  appear  larger  than  they  really  are,  and  too  powerful 
magnifiers  strain  the  eyes  very  much. 

Convex  glasses  should  be  employed  on  near  objects  alone, 
the  unassisted  eye  will  distinguish  distant  ones  best. 

Nothing  can  be  more  fatally  erroneous  than  the  opinion  that  all 
persons  of  the  same  age  require  similar  glasses.  Sometimes  we 
see  persons  of  seventy,  who  have  never  worn  a  glass,  and  again 
others  at  thirty  wearing  strong  convex  lenses.  The  system  of 
regulating  spectacles  by  the  various  gradations  of  age  has  caused 
incalculable  injury.  The  following  is  the  scale  determined  upon 
by  opticians ;  but,  as  we  have  said,  it  must  not  be  relied  on : — 


FOCAL  DISTANCE, 

TEARS  OF  AGE. 

INCHES. 

40 

36 

45 

30 

50 

24 

55 

20 

58 

18 

60 

16 

65 

14 

70 

12 

75 

10 

80 

9 

85 

8 

90 

7     t 

100 

6     1 

THE    USE    AND    ABUSE    OF    SPECTACLES.  149 

It  is  veiy  detrimental  to  vision  to  use  glasses  of  a  high  mag- 
nifying power.  A  glass  that  gives  blackness  and  a  clear  out- 
line to  the  letters,' without  diminishing  or  enlarging  them,  or 
straining  the  eyes,  is  the  proper  power  to  select.  The  magni- 
fier may  be  very  agreeable  for  a  time  in  defining  any  object 
wuth  more  distinctness,  but  soon  a  stronger  one  will  be  required, 
for  although  the  eye  will  become  accustomed  to  undue  and  con- 
tinued excitement,  yet  its  susceptibility  will  be  diminished, 
never,  perhaps,  to  be  restored;  and  there  is  no  returning  to 
the  weaker  glasses  that  would  have  been  available  at  first. 

One  degree  of  magnifying  power  greater  is  required  by  can- 
dle-light than  by  that  of  day.  It  would  therefore  be  conve- 
nient to  have  two  pairs  of  spectacles — one  for  day-use,  and  the 
other,  one  degree  deeper,  for  night.  Each  person  must  not  only 
select  spectacles  adapted  to  his  own  particular  case,  but  must 
also  ascertain  if  the  focus  of  each  of  his  eyes  is  alike.  For  this 
purpose  look  through  each  glass  of  each  eye  separately  at  small 
print,  and  carefully  observe  whether  the  effect  on  each  eye  is 
the  same  from  each  glass.  Should  it  happen  that  the  focal 
power  differs,  the  inequality  will  be  thus  discovered,  and  a  suit- 
able glass  must  then  be  adapted  for  each  eye. 

Lenses  are  made  generally  from  the  best  plate  glass.  They 
should  be  perfectly  clear  and  pure,  and  free  from  specks  or  veins, 
and  of  an  equal  thickness  in  all  their  parts.  They  can  be  exam- 
ined by  holding  them  between  a  lighted  candle  and  the  eye  and 
moving  them  backwards  and  forwards ;  any  irregularity  will  be 
thus  easily  detected.  If  they  are  moved  in  the  same  way  be- 
tween the  eye  and  printed  letters,  the  letters  will  appear  distorted 
if  the  figure  of  the  glass  is  not  accurate. 

The  frames  of  spectacles  are  a  much  more  important  part  of 
the  instrument  than  most  persons  imagine.  They  should  fit 
lightly  on  the  nose  and  be  fixed  steadily  in  their  position.   Spec- 


160"  THE    USE    AND    ABUSE    OF    SPECTACLEB. 

tacles  that  are  used  for  viewing  distant  objects  requiie  to  be 
strong  in  front  so  that  the  parallelism  with  the  eye  cannot  be 
disturbed,  whereas  those  for  viewing  near  objects  may  possess 
a  little  elasticity  so  as  to  throw  the  plane  of  each  glass  at  right 
angles  to  the  axis  of  vision  for  each  eye  :  but  the  most  important 
of  all  points  in  regard  to  the  frames  is  that  they  should  be  suffi- 
ciently wide  in  front  to  allow  the  exact  centre  of  each  glass  to 
come  precisely  opposite  the  pupil,  for  if  this  is  not  so  the  rays 
that  pass  through  the  lens  will  not  all  enter  the  pupil,  thus  ren- 
dering the  spectacles  comparatively  worthless,  for  vision  to  be 
perfectly  distinct  should  be  exactly  through  the  centre  of  the 
eye-glass. 

The  form  of  the  bridge  must  vary  to  suit  the  shape  of  the 
nose,  and  it  should  always  be  of  a  sufficient  curve  and  width  to 
cause  the  situation  of  the  glasses,  as  respects  the  eyes,  to  be 
perfect,  both  horizontally  and  vertically.  If  they  are  properly 
fitted  the  person  will  have  the  impression  of  looking  only 
through  one  glass.  * 

The  eye  pieces  should  be  oval  or  circular  ;  oval  glasses  have 
as  great  a  range  laterally  as  those  that  are  round,  and  are  not 
so  heavy,  and  they  are  on  this  account  preferable. 

The  octagon  shaped  glasses  that  are  so  fashionable  at  pre- 
sent are  certainly  very  unnatural  in  shape,  and  but  another 
exhibition  of  the  folly  of  imperious  fashion ;  they  are  not  at  all 
to  be  recommended. 


THE    USE    AND   ABUSE   OE    SPECTACLES.  151 

The  accompanying  figures  represent  the  most  proper  shape 
and  form  for  spectacles  : 


The  first,  for  myopic  persons,  enables  the  glasses  to  be 
brought  close  to  the  eyes,  which  is  important,  but  they  never 
should  approach  so  near  as  to  touch  the  eye-lashes.  The  se- 
cond form  is  suitable  for  presbyopic  eyes,  and  the  third  can  be 
used  in  either  case. 

As  to  the  materials  of  which  the  frames  should  be  composed, 
individual  taste  will  doubtless  have  considerable  influence  in 
the  selection.  Gold  frames  are  much  worn,  and  they  certainly 
look  respectable ;  but  one  disadvantage  accompanying  them  is 
that  they  sometimes  have  the  effect  of  dazzling  the  eyes.  Sil- 
ver spectacles  are  not  free  from  this  draw-back,  but,  if  well 
made,  they  adapt  themselves  speedily  to  the  conformation  of 
the  head,  and  are  on  that  account  very  comfortable  to  wear. 


152  THE    USE    AND    ABUSE    OP    SPECTACLES. 

This  is  a  very  important  consideration,  for  if  spectacles  press 
too  tightly,  headache,  and  uneasy  sensation  about  the  temples 
will  be  the  inevitable  result.  Those  made  of  tortoiseshell  are 
not  now  much  in  vogue.  When  they  are  used  they  should  be 
selected  of  a  uniform  dark  color.  One  objection  to  them  is  that 
they  are  very  easily  broken. 

Blue  steel  spectacles  are  in  many  respects  superior  to  any  of 
the  others.  They  look  remarkably  well  as  long  as  they  retain 
their  blue  color,  and  are  exceedingly  light  and  elastic.  They 
are,  however,  not  so  well  adapted  for  deep  concave  lenses. 

Spectacles  require  considerable  care.  They  should  be  put 
into  a  case  when  not  in  use,  and  not  left  carelessly  about  to  be 
scratched  and  soiled.  The  best  way  to  clean  them  is  to  polish 
them  with  a  piece  of  soft  wash-leather. 

After  having  been  worn  for  some  time  the  joints  are  apt  to 
become  too  loose,  so  that  the  glasses  do  not  remain  as  near  the 
eyes  as  they  ought.  This  can  be  easily  remedied  and  should 
be  attended  to  without  delay,  as  it  is  always  hurtful  to  the  eyes 
to  have  too  great  a  distance  between  them  and  the  glasses.  At- 
tention to  this  may  perhaps  be  stimulated  by  observing  that  un- 
til the  pin  or  pivot  of  the  joint  be  tightened  it  will  bring  away  a 
hair  or  two  from  each  temple  every  time  the  spectacles  are 
taken  off. 

Pebbles  are  deemed  by  many  persons  cooler  to  the  eye  than 
glass.  Whether  this  be  so  or  not  they  are  extremely  hard  and 
not  easily  scratched,  and  in  this  respect  at  least  they  possess  an 
advantage  over  glasses  which  are  constantly  getting  broken  or 
injured,  and  new  glasses  are  never  satisfactory,  as  most  persons 
imagine  the  old  ones  to  be  superior  to  the  new. 

Periscopic,  from  ^rcpi,  around,  and  ffKoTrsw,  to  view,  is  the  name 
apphed  to  the  spectacles  invented  by  Dr.  Wollaston,  because 


THE   USE   AND   ABUSE    OF   SPECTACLES.  153 

they  give  a  wider  field  of  vision  than  others.  In  these  glasses 
the  surface  next  the  eye  is  always  concave^  both  for  long  and 
short  sight,  the  convexity  of  the  outer  surface  being  less  deep 
than  the  concavity  of  the  inner  one  for  short-sighted  persons, 
and  deeper  for  the  long-sighted — the  double  concave  or  convex 
lenses  are,  however,  generally  preferable  to  the  periscopic. 

Cataract  glasses,  or  the  glasses  used  by  persons  who  have  been 
operated  on  for  cataract,  are  usually  about  four-and-a-half  inch 
focus  for  viewing  distant  objects,  and  two-and-a-half  for  near 
objects.  It  is  therefore  necessary  to  be  provided  with  a  pair  of 
each  kind. 

Next  to  the  injury  inflicted  by  wearing  bad  and  unsuitable 
spectacles  is  the  highly  reprehensible  and  decidedly  hurtful  cus- 
tom of  using  a  single  eye-glass  or  "  Q,uizzing-glass"  as  it  is  face- 
tiously called.  This  is  "  a  custom  more  honoured  in  the  breach 
than  the  observance,"  for  by  using  one  eye  more  than  the  other 
an  alteration  takes  place  in  their  relative  strength,  and  it  is  not 
the  eye  that  gets  the  over-share  of  work  which  suffers  so  much 
as  the  unemployed  one.  If  the  glass  is  put  up  to  the  eye  ana 
retained  in  situ  by  the  pressing  down  of  the  muscles,  it  distorts, 
distresses  and  injures  the  mechanism  of  the  organ.  Whoever 
adopt  this  custom  for  fashion's  sake,  or  from  a  desire  to  conceal 
their  need  of  spectacles,  will  find  it  to  bring  with  it  ultimately 
a  severe  retribution. 

Watchmakers,  engravers  and  others,  who  apply  a  glass  to 
only  one  eye  in  their  business,  ought  to  learn  to  use  either  eye 
alternately,  and  retain  the  glass  in  its  place  with  a  piece  of 
ribbon  tied  round  the  head  and  not  by  the  contraction  of  the 
muscles,  and  thus  in  some  degree  escape  the  imperfection  of 
vision  to  which  they  are  so  subject. 

The  double  hand  eye-glasses  are  less  objectionable  than 


154  THE    USE    AND    ABUSE    OP    SPECTACLES. 

the  single  glass;  the  great  draw-back  to  them  is  that  they 
cannot  be  fixed  steadily  in  front  of  the  eyes  as  spectacles  are. 
Some  persons  have  a  habit  of  fastening  them  on  the  tip  of  the 
nose,  but  this,  as  well  as  the  custom  of  letting  spectacles  slip 
down  to  the  end  of  the  nose,  is  injurious  to  the  eyes,  and  can 
scarcely  be  considered  any  improvement  to  the  countenance. 

From  what  I  have  already  urged  respecting  the  impropriety 
of  depriving  the  eyes  of  the  advantage  of  a  free  circulation  of 
air,  or  of  their  natur^.1  stimulus,  light,  it  will  not  be  expected 
that  I  can  recommend  goggles.  Nevertheless,  under  certain 
circumstances  they  may  be  used  advantageously  in  protecting 
the  delicate  eye  from  the  hurtful  effects  of  dust,  sand,  or  bright 
sunshine,  but  their  use  should  never  extend  beyond  the  period 
of  exposure.  Those  that  have  their  sides  formed  of  gauze 
wire,  are  decidedly  the  best,  as  they  allow  the  air  to  permeate 
their  interstices. 

Green  and  blue  glasses  are  objectionable,  for  if  we  look 
through  a  green  glass  for  some  time  and  then  remove  it,  and 
look  at  a  white  sheet  of  paper,  it  will  not  appear  white  but  of  a 
violet  red  colour.  This  is  because  the  retina  becomes  insen- 
sible to  the  green  rays  that  form  part  of  the  white  light,  which 
flows  from  the  paper,  and  we  see  the  violet  red  spectrum,  which 
is  the  color  that  arises  from  all  the  rays  in  the  white  light,  ex- 
cept the  green,  which  the  retina  is  unable  for  the  time  to  per- 
ceive. In  like  manner  blue  glasses  will  produce  their  accidental 
or  complimentary  color — orange  red.  We  should  therefore  se- 
lect neutral  glasses,  or  those  that  are  of  no  definite  color. 

When  there  is  great  sensitiveness  of  the  retina,  these  alle- 
viate this  distressing  feeling,  and  are  refreshing  and  comfort- 
able to  the  eyes. 

Many  persons  have  injured  their  sight  by  wearing  glasses 


THE    USE  AND   ABUSE  OF  SPECTACLES.  155 

when  in  reality  they  had  not  the  slightest  occasion  for  them. 
The  vision  of  others  has  been  seriously  impaired  by  defering 
too  long  the  use  of  spectacles,  while  the  eyes  of  thousands  have 
been  ruined  by  wearing  those  that  were  bad  or  unsuitable. 
Gross  imposition  has  been  practiced  by  venders  of  those  instru- 
ments, who,  ignorant  of  the  first  principles  of  Optics,  are  totally 
unacquainted  with  the  requirements  of  the  purchaser,  and  by 
selling  improper  glasses,  they  frequently  cause  incalculable 
misery  and  in  some  cases  even  complete  blindness  ;  I  would, 
therefore,  strenuously  recommend  all  w^ho  require  spectacles  to 
buy  them  of  a  respectable  Optician.  Pike  and  Sons  of  this 
city,  occupy  a  deservedly  prominent  position  as  manufacturers 
in  this  branch  of  business. 

In  the  preceding  pages  the  opinion  has  been  more  than  once 
intimated  that  the  dehcate  and  critical  operations  which  an 
Oculist  is  called  upon  to  perform,  should  never  be  attempted  by 
any  one  whose  eye  and  hand  have  not  been  educated  by  a  per- 
fect course  of  professional  training.  This  is  said  in  no  spirit 
of  invidious  distinction,  but  from  a  solemn  sense  of  its  truth  and 
vital  importance. 

No  one  can  scale  the  heights  of  science  at  a  single  bound, 
and  he  who  pretends  to  have  done  so  draws  largely  on  the  cre- 
dulity of  mankind. 

With  these  opinions  as  honestly  entertained  as  they  are  fear- 
lessly avowed,  several  friends,  upon  whose  judgement  I  place 
implicit  reliance,  strongly  urged  upon  me  the  propriety  of  exhib- 
iting the  Testimonials  and  Certificates  of  my  early  profes- 
sional studies ;  the  more  particularly  as  the  names  attached  to 
them  are  universally  recognised  as  those  of  men  occupying  the 
most  distinguished  position  amongst  the  medical  celebrities  of 
the  age.   Yielding  to  the  solicitation  of  those  kind  friends  in  the 


166  THE   USE    AND   ABUSE    OP    SPECTACLES. 

first  edition  of  this  work  I  added  those  documents  in  the  form 
of  an  Appendix ;  their  repubhcation  I  deem  unnecessary. 

I  have  now  gone  over  the  various  subjects  connected  with  the 
organ  of  vision,  in  that  brief  form  which  I  proposed  to  myself 
at  the  commencement  of  this  treatise.  My  aim  throughout  has 
been  to  communicate  such  information  as  would  enable  the 
reader  to  have  a  fair  understanding  of  the  eye  and  its  depend- 
encies and  to  impart,  in  a  plain  and  unpretending  style,  the  most 
important  and  useful  knowledge  that  in  a  practical  point  of 
view  would  be  most  likely  to  benefit  him.  I  sincerely  trust  that, 
written  hastily  as  this  has  been,  in  moments  snatched  from  the 
hurry  and  constant  interruption  of  laborious  and  greatly  increas- 
ing professional  avocations,  1  have  been  enabled  to  render  my- 
self intelligible  to  all.  If  in  this  I  have  succeeded  I  shall  have 
reason  not  to  regret  either  the  time  or  the  labor  devoted  to  the 
composition  of  this  little  work,  and  should  the  reader  who  has 
accompanied  me  throughout  entertain  a  similar  feeling  as  to 
the  time  and  attention  occupied  in  its  perusal,  our  mutual  satis- 
faction will  be  complete,  and,  until  we  meet  again,  I  bid  him  a 
kind  and  cordial  farewell  ! 


OPIXIOXS  OF  THE  PBES9. 


From  HunVs  Merchants^  Magazine. 

Tills  is  a  workof  exceeding  interest,  and  of  great  practical  value.  Its  author  is  a  gentle- 
man of  rare  professional  attainments,  and  has  secured  a  high  rank  as  an  ocultst  and  aurist— 
branches  of  his  profession  to  which  he  has  exclusively  devoted  himself.  Indeed,  his  exten- 
sive practice,  as  such,  has  been  attended  with  unusual  success ;  and  to  this  the  public  are  in- 
df;bfed  for  much  of  the  deeply  interesting  matter  contained  in  the  book  before  us.  The  sub 
iectsof  which  it  treats,  are  handled  with  skill;  and  throughout  the  work  are  seen  evidences 
of  ripe  scholarship,  varied  practical  experience,  and  profound  thought.  The  style  of  the  writer 
is  pleasing  and  popular,  and  divested  of  that  stiffness,  technicality,  and  dryness,  which  have 
hitherto  rendered  medical  works  so  disagreeable  and  uninteresting  to  the  general  reader.  We 
take  pleasure  in  recommending  the  book  to  the  profession  and  to  the  public.  All  are  deeply 
interested  in  the  preservation  of  that  delicate  and  wonderfuUy-formed  organ,  to  which  we  owe 
the  pleasure  of  sight,  and  for  this  purpose  the  work  before  us  should  be  widely  circulated  and 
carefully  read. 

From  the  Churchman. 

This  volume  comes  to  confer  a  special  benefit  upon  the  public ;  and  it  cannot  be  otherwise 
than  serviceable  to  all  except  those  who  unhappily  are  entirely  blind.  The  author  has  here 
given  the  results  of  much  observation  and  practice ;  unveiling  the  mysteries  of  his  art  with  a 
most  philanthropic  determination  to  do  good.  The  information  obtained  from  this  work  will 
prove  a  manifold  return  for  the  trifling  price,  and  it  may  be  the  means  of  preserving  a  trea- 
ure  wnich  money  cannot  buy. 

From  the  Journal  of  Commerce. 

This  excellent  work,  prepared  by  Dr.  J.  W.  Powell,  of  261  Broadway,  embodies  the  result 
of  a  long  experience  by  an  eminent  oculist,  in  rules  for  the  preservation,  improvement,  and 
restoration  of  sight,  and  contains  a  minute  and  accurate  description  Df  the  anatomy  and  phy- 
siolo^ofthe  eye. 

(From  the  Atlaa.) 

This  is  a  truly  valuable  publication,  suited  especially  for  general  readers,  who  may  feel  a 
personal  interest  in  the  important  subject  on  which  it  treats.  We  know  of  no  work  in  which 
the  various  affections  incident  to  the  eye  are  described  so  clearly  and  completely,  with  so 
much  candor  and  good  feeling,  as  in  this  work.  It  is  written  in  a  frank  and  generous  spirit, 
and  with  an  evident  desire  to  be  useful,  an  object  in  which  the  accomplished  author  has  been 
eminently  successful.  With  the  extensive  practice  which  Dr.  Powell  enjoys,  andhisexpC' 
rience  as  an  oculist,  we  might  have  supposed  that  his  book  must  contain  very  valuable  in- 
formation. Its  perusal  amply  confirms  this  expectation,  and  we  cordially  recommend  it  as 
meriting  the  highest  character  which  can  be  given  to  it. 


OPINIONS   OP   THE   PRESS. 

From  the  Mercury. 
The  author  ofthis  very  interesting  work,  already  so  well  and  favorably  known  to  our  citi- 
zens, has  succeeded  admirably  in  making  a  volume  that  will  be  read  with  much  profit  and 
advantage.  It  will  be  found  a  most  valuable  contribution  to  the  interesting  branch  of  medical 
science  on  which  it  treats.  Avoiding  almost  entirely  the  use  of  technical  phraseology,  J( 
communicates  in  glowing  and  easy  language  an  amount  of  information  seldom  comprised 
within  the  same  number  of  pages.  It  speaks  clearly  and  succinctly  of  every  ailment  to  which 
the  eye  is  subject ;  suggests  admirable  precautions,  and  simple  remedies ;  points  out  what 
may  be  done  by  the  individual  sufferer  himself,  and  when  recourse  must  be  had  to  the  ex- 
perienced professional  man ;  and  is,  altogether,  just  the  book  which  was  needed  by  those  who 
gaffer  under  any  impairment  of  vision. 

From  Noah's  Times  and  Messenger. 

This  work  contains  much  valuable  information,  conveyed  in  a  form  no  less  interesting  than 
Instructive.  It  describes  in  the  clearest  language  the  numerous  ailments  to  which  the  eye  is 
liable,  and  the  simplest  and  most  effectual  treatment  for  their  alleviation  or  removal.  Scattered 
through  the  pages  will  be  found  sound  and  interesting  advice,  and  no  one  can  rise  from  its  pe- 
rusal without  having  derived  a  large  amount  of  useful  information  on  a  subject  whicvi  comes 
home  to  every  man— the  preservation  of  his  eyes 

From  the  Dispatch. 

We  have  read  this  work  with  much  interest,  and  do  not  hesitate  to  pronounce  it  one  of  th« 
best  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  useful  contributions  to  Ophthalmic  science  with  which  we  have 
met.  The  plan  of  the  book  is  concise,  its  arrangements  methodical,  and  its  language  graceful 
while  it  is  simple.  The  rudiments  of  optics  are  explained,  the  anatomy  of  the  eye  and  the 
theory  of  vision  described,  the  various  ailments  and  their  simple  treatment  specified,  and, 
what  is  perhaps  still  more  important,  because  more  easily  followed  by  every  one,  invaluable 
suggestions  are  offered  for  the  preservation  of  the  eyes  in  the  various  walks  and  occupation* 
of  life,  and  practical  instructions  are  given  for  purchasing  spectacles— a  matter  of  no  incon 
eiderable  importance,  for  many  persons  become  the  unconscious  means  of  inflicting  irrepa- 
rable injury  on  their  eyes  by  an  injudicious  selection  of  glasses.  We  therefore  confidently 
recommend  it  to  our  readers,  and  we  feel  assured  that  it  is  destined  to  universal  popularity. 

From  the  Courier  and  Enquirer. 

This  is  a  neat  and  cheap  work,  intended  to  diffuse  a  more  general  knowledge  than  now 
prevails  of  the  character,  diseases,  &c.  of  the  eye,  and  thus  to  render  its  preservation  and 
c«re  more  easy  and  certain. 

From  the  True  Sun 
This  work  contains  a  large  amount  of  useful  and  practical  information  in  regard  to  th« 
organ  of  vision.    The  celebrity  of  its  author  and  the  importance  of  its  subject  will  insure  • 
Tery  general  perusal, 

From  Mearson's  U.  S.  Bank  Note  Reporter. 
We  have  been  favored  by  the  eminent  author  with  this  excellent  Treatise,  and  have  pe- 
rused it  with  great  satisfaction.  It  is  an  exceedingly  valuable  work,  and  should  be  in  tha 
hands  of  every  person.  The  language  is  chaste,  elegant,  and  comprehensive,  and  yet  00 
plain  and  inteUigible  that  all  may  understand  the  subject.  Anecdote  ."nd  hamour  abound, 
and  so  far  from  being  a  dry  treatise  it  is  extremely  fascinating. 


DR.  POWELL'S 

SEIiF-A  CTING 

EYE  AND  EAR  FOUNTAINS, 

Which  obtained  a  Premium  at  the  Fair  of  the  American  Insti- 
tute, can  be  procured  at  his  Office.  Price  twenty-five  dollars 
each.     See  a  description  of  their  use  at  page  102  in  this  work. 

The  Self- Acting  Fountain  is,  beyond  all  question,  the  simplest 
and  most  efficacious  remedial  Agent  ever  invented  in  c£ises  of 
Nervous  Weakness  and  Debility  of  the  Eyes.  In  Amaurosis. 
Chronic  Ophthalmia,  Ulcers  of  the  Cornea,  Granular  Lida, 
Ptosis  or  Falling  Down  of  the  Eyelids,  Fistula  Lacrymalis. 
Stoppage  of  the  Tear  Passage  or  Watery  Eye,  Weakness  of 
Sight,  and  in  all  other  cases  where  a  tonic  and  invigorating 
remedy  is  required. 

The  appai-atus  is  also  eminently  serviceable  in  various  affec- 
tions of  the  Ear — a's  Nervous  Deafness,  Noises  in  the  Ear,  Har- . 
dened  Wax,  or  where  this  secretion  is  deficient  in  quantity  oi 
quahty,  and  it  is  the  safest  and  most  rapid  means  of  curing 
Chronic  Discharges  from  the  Ear.  It  is  also  employed  with  great 
advantage  in  Catarrhal  Affections  of  the  Nose,  Ozaena,  and  in 
Nervous  Headache. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  USE. 

Pour  water  into  the  basin.  Charge  the  reseiToir  therewith 
by  a  few  strokes  of  the  piston.  If  additional  power  is  required 
continue  to  pump  in  air,  after  the  water,  for  one  or  two  minutes. 

For  the  Eye. — ^Hold  the  flexible  tube  opposite  the  closed 
Eye,  turn  the  stop-cock,  and  a  stream  will  be  propelled  from 
the  pipe  which  may  be  allowed  to  play  on  the  closed  Eye  and 
surroundmg  parts  for  five  or  ten  minutes  at  a  time. 


For  the  Ear. — Draw  the  Ear  a  little  upwards  and  back- 
wards. Introduce  the  Jet  as  far  as  can  be  done  without  press- 
ing on  the  passage,  then  let  the  stream  be  directed  around,  from, 
side  to  side,  for  a  few  minutes. 

For  the  Nose. — Insinuate  the  pipe  for  a  short  distance 
upwards  and  backwards  into  the  nostrils.  Guide  the  stream 
in  different  directions,  at  the  same  time  inhaling  air  through 
the  nose  so  as  to  cause  the  water  to  pass  towards  or  into  the 
throat. 

For  Nervous  Headache.- -Put  on  the  rose  jet,  and  cause 
\  strong  shower  to  play  on  the  temple  and  foichead,  until  rehef 
is  obtained. 

An  Air  Douche,  or  stream  of  air,  may  also  be  propelled  from 
the  Fountain  in  some  cases  with  considerable  effect. 

The  water  may  be  warm,  cold,  or  medicated,  according  tc 
the  nature  of  the  case  and  the  feelings  of  the  individual. 


Dr.  Powell  imports,  and  has  always  on  hand,  a  large  sup- 
ply of 

ARTIFICIAL.    EYES, 

Of  superior  beauty  and  finish. 


Dr.  POWELL  wishes  to  infoini  persons  residing  at  a  dis- 
tance, who  may  be  desirous  of  obtaining  his  opinion  in  any  of 
the  various  affections  of  the  EYE  or  EAR,  that  by  answering* 
the  following  interrogatories,  and  enclosing  a  Fee,  their  com^ 
inunication  will  receive  immediate  attention  : — 

GENERAL  QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  is  your  name  ? 

2.  Where  do  you  reside  ?  Is  your  dwelling  near  a  marsh,  shel- 
tered by  woods,  or  exposed  to  the  winds  ?  If  in  a  town  is  it  on  the 
sunny  side  of  the  street  ?  Is  it  a  healthy,  airy,  and  elevated  loca- 
tion, or  low  and  damp  1  Is  it  a  new  or  old  settlement,  in  the  inte- 
rior, or  near  the  sea  side,  or  the  lakes,  or  a  river  ?  Have  you  fever 
and  ague,  or  any  other  fever  in  the  neighbourhood? 

3.  How  old  are  you  ? 

4.  What  are  your  usual  occupations  ? 

5.  Are  you  married  or  single  ? 

6.  Are  you  nervous  or  low-spirited  ?  Are  you  annoyed  by  any 
domestic  affairs,  or  suffering  from  mental  anxiety? 

7.  is  there  an  hereditary  predisposition  to  any  particular  disease 
in  your  family  ? 

8.  Do  you  suffer  from  fullness  of  blood  or  determination  to  the 
head? 

9.  Are  you  troubled  with  indigestion  or  dyspepsia,  or  any  erup- 
tive affection,  or  have  you  any  other  disease  besides  that  on  which 
you  consult  me  ? 

10.  Are  you  much  exposed  to  the  vicissitudes  of  the  weather  ? 

11.  Do  you  easily  perspire?  Do  you  suffer  from  cold  feet  ?  Are 
you  susceptible  of  taking  cold  ? 

12.  Is  your  appetite  good  ■  Are  your  bowels  regular,  and  the 
motions  healthy  ? 

13.  Do  you  drink  much  beer,  cider,  wine,  spirits,  coffee,  tea,  or 
other  exciting  liquors  ? 


14.  Do  you  use  much  tobacco,  if  so,  do  you  chew,  smoke  or  snufF? 

15.  Have  you  taken  large  quantities  of  any  medicine,  as  mercury, 
quinine,  opium,  pills,  &c.  ? 

16.  Are  you  of  full  body  or  spare  ?    What  is  your  temperament  1  , 
Is  your  skin  fair  or  dark  ?     How  many  times   does  your  pulse  beat 
in  a  minute  ?    Is  your  tongue  generally  clean  or  furred  ? 

17.  Do  you  take  much  exercise  in  the  open  air,  or  are  your  occu- 
pations sedentary  ?  Are  you  always  occupied  either  mentally  or 
bodily  ? 

18.  Has  any  long  continued  or  profuse  discharge  been  hastily 
suppressed  ? 

19.  Are  you  aware  of  having  any  idiosyncracy  or  peculiarity  of 
constitution  ?  , 

20.  Have  you  any  other  remark  to  make  on  your  general  health 
or  early  habits  ? 

Note. — There  are  other  queries  which  it  is  important  to  have  an- 
swered, but  which  cannot  well  appear  in  print.  They  will,  however, 
readily  suggest  themselves  to  the  intelligent  patient. 


QUESTIONS    TO    PATIENTS    WHOSE    EYES    ARE 
AFFECTED. 

1.  What  is  the  color  of  your  eyes  ? 

2.  How  long  have  they  been  affected?  Was  your  sight  pre- 
viously strong,  or  has  it  never  been  so  ? 

3.  When  your  eyes  were  first  attacked  were  you  suffering  from 
any  other  sickness,  if  so,  what  ? 

4.  Did  the  disease  come  on  slowly  or  suddenly. 

5.  Do  you  know  the  cause  ?  Was  it  from  an  accident,  from  cold, 
from  overtasking  the  eyes,  from  exposure  to  intense  heat  or  brilliant 
light,  &c.  ? 

6.  Was  it  accompanied  by  pain  in  the  eye,  or  head,  or  temple,  or 
brow ;  if  so,  was  it  a  dull  and  heavy,  or  sharp  and  acute  pain  ?  Is 
it  worse  at  night  1 


7.  Can  you  recognise  your  friends  across  the  street,  or  read  the 
signs  ?    At  what  distance  can  you  read  ordinary  print  ? 

8.  Can  you  always  see  at  the  same  distance,  or  under  what  cir- 
cumstances does  your  sight  vary  ?  Do  you  see  better  at  one  time 
than  another,  as  in  the  morning,  at  noon,  at  night,  after  or  before  a 
meal  1 

9.  Have  the  seasons  an  influence  on  your  disease  ? 

10.  Have/ your  eyes  ever  been  thoroughly  examined  by  an  oculist  ? 
What  was  his  opinion  of  your  case  ? 

11.  Has  any  surgical  operation  ever  been  performed  on  your  eyes '? 

12.  What  treatment  have  you  received  ?  What  have  been  its 
effects  7 

13.  Have  you  ever  used  spectacles,  if  so,  have  they  been  a  relief 
or  otherwise  ? 

14.  What  change  has  taken  place  in  the  outward  appearance  of 
your  eyes  ? 

15.  Have  you  experienced  a  sensation  as  if  sand  or  dust  was  lodged 
in  the  eyes  ?  Does  the  motion  of  the  lids  over  the  eye  ball  cause 
pain  or  irritation  1    Is  exposure  to  light  painful  ? 

16.  Is  the  eye  weak  and  watery,  or  is  there  a  greatly  increased 
flow  of  tears  ? 

17.  Are  the  blood-vessels  enlarged  and  distended  ?  Can  you  trace 
them  coursing  over  the  cornea  or  clear  part  of  the  eye  ? 

18.  Is  there  any  discharge  of  mucous  matter  ?  Do  the  the  lids 
adhere  together  in  the  morning  after  sleep  ? 

19.  When  the  disease  first  commenced,  were  the  lids  much 
swollen  and  was  there  a  considerable  discharge  of  thick  matter  ? 

20.  Do  you  know  whether  any  granulations  exist,  that  is,  whether 
the  inside  of  the  lids  are  smooth  or  rough  ? 

21.  Is  the  cornea  or  front  part  of  the  eye  clear  or  opaque  -  Does 
it  possess  its  natural  lustre  or  is  it  cloudy  and  smoky  ?  Is  there  any 
thing  growing  over  it?  Are  there,  or  have  there  been  any  ulcers 
upon  it  ? 

23.  Are  the  eyes  of  their  natural  size  and  form  ? 


23.  Is  the  pupil  enlarged,  contracted,  immoveable,  or  irregular  in 
jshape?  Has  it  a  bright  black  appearance?  Can  you  see  any 
thing  behind  it  like  a  cobweb,  or  an  opaque  yellowish  or  pearl 
colored  substance  ? 

24.  When  your  sight  was  first  affected  did  it  appear  as  if  a  cloud 
or  smoke  was  interposed  between  your  eye  and  all  objects  ? 

25.  Do  you  see  better  in  the  evening  or  in  a  moderate  light, 
,or  with  your  back  to  the  window  than  otherwise  1 

26.  If  you  look  at  a  candle  is  the  flame  surrounded  by  a  va- 
porous halo  or  white  circle? 

27.  Did  your  vision  become  gradually  obscure,  objects  at  first 
seeming  confused  ;  as  for  instance,  after  reading  some  time,  the 
letters  not  appearing  to  be  distinctly  defined  but  running  into  each 
other  ? 

28.  Do  you  see  better  by  holding  the  object  in  a  particular  direc- 
tion ?     Has  your  vision  ever  been  double  1 

29.  Have  you  perceived  moving  motes  or  spots  floating  in  the  air, 
ascending  and  descending,  or  have  you  perceived  branches  or  hairs 
or  a  network  intervening  between  the  eye  and  objects  ? 

30.  Is  there  any  pain,  giddiness,  or  sense  of  heaviness  in  the 
brow  or  temple  ? 

AFFECTIONS   OF   THE    EYELIDS   AND   ADJOINING 
PARTS. 

31.  Is  there  an  itching  sensation  in  the  eyelids?  Are  the  eyes 
suffused  with  tears  ?  Do  they  present  a  red  unpleasant  appearance, 
especially  in  the  morning  •' 

32.  Do  the  eye-lashes  fall  out,  or  have  they  a  tendency  to  grow  in 
towards  the  eye-ball  ■     Has  the  lid  an  inclination  to  grow  in  or  out  ? 

.33.  Are  you  subject  to  styes  • 

34.  Does  the  eye-lid  droop  or  hang  over  the  eye  •' 

.35  Has  there  been  any  swelling  near  the  inner  corner  of  the  eye 

at  the  root  of  the  nose  ;  if  so,  did   matter  form  in  it  •''     Did  it  burst, 

.or  was  it  opened  by  a  lancet  •'     Has  it  closed  •' 


STRABISMUS. 

36.  How  long  has  the  squinting  existed?  To  what  cause  do  you 
attribute  it  ?  Are  both  eyes  implicated  •'  In  what  direction  is  the 
eye  directed  •'     Is  it  always  crooked,  or  sometimes  straight  ? 

TO  PERSONS  REQUIRING  ARTIFICIAL  EYES. 

37.  How  long  since  you  lost  your  eye,  and  from  what  cause  •'  Is 
it  much  diminished  in  size  •'  Is  it  a  right  or  left  eye  ?  Is  it  tender 
or  healthy  •     Have  you  ever  worn  an  artificial  eye  ? 

State  the  color  of  the  iris  of  the  sound  eye ;  draw  the  size  of  the 
healthy  eye,  of  the  cornea  and  of  the  pupil  thus: — 


Artificial  eyes  can  be  safely  forwarded  to  all  parts  of  the  Union. 


QUESTIONS    TO    PATIENTS    WHOSE    HEARING    IS 
AFFECTED. 

1.  How  long  have  you  been  deaf?  Was  your  hearing  perfect 
previously,  or  has  it  never  been  so?  Are  you  considered  deaf  by 
your  friends  ?  Is  the  dulness  of  hearing  occasioned  by  a  habit  of 
inattention  ?  Are  you  accustomed  to  ask  people  who  address  you 
to  repeat  what  they  have  said? 

2.  Are  you,  or  have  you  been  subject  to  occasional  hardness  of 
hearing  or  to  ear-ache  ? 

3.  When  the  deafness  commenced,  were  you  suffering  from  any 
other  complaint,  and  if  so,  of  what  nature  ? 

4.  Do  you  recollect  how  the  deafness  began  ?  Did  it  come  on  in- 
sensibly, and  increase  gradually,  or  was  the  attack  sudden  ? 

5.  Do  you  know  the  cause  ?  Was  it  by  a  blow  or  other  accident  ? 
from  bathing,  or  from  a  loud  noise  as  firing  of  cannon,  &c.  Did  you 
suffer  from  pain  in  either  ear,  or  in  the  head,  when  it  commenced  ? 

6.  Had  you  any  discharge  from  either  ear  ?  Of  what  nature  was 
it,  and  how  long  did  it  last  ?  Had  you  much  itching  or  irritation  in 
the  ear  passage,  and  have  you  been  m  the  habit  of  frequently  using 
an  ear  pick  ? 

7.  Was  the  deafness  accompanied  from  the  beginning  with  noises 
in  the  head,  and  of  what  nature  were  they  ?  Did  they  resemble  the 
falling  of  water,  the  blowing  of  wind,  the  rustling  of  leaves,  the  tink- 
ling of  a  bell,  the  strokes  of  a  ponderous  hammer,  the  noise  of  a  lo- 
comotive, or  the  beatings  of  the  pulse  ? 

8.  Are  those  noises  always  equally  troublesome,  or  more  at  one 
time  than  another,  and  under  what  circumstances  have  you  noticed 
the  difference  ? 

9.  Did  they  precede  or  follow  the  hardness  of  hearing,  and  has 
the  severity  of  the  deafness  appeared  to  you  to  depend  on  the  degree 
pf  noise,  or  to  be  wholly  independent  thereof  ?  Do  they  still  con- 
tinue ? 


10.  At  what  distance  from  tlie  ear  (reckoning  by  inches)  can  you 
hear  the  tick  of  a  watch  of  moderate  power,  or  can  you  only  hear  it 
when  placed  close  to  the  ear,  or  can  you  not  hear  it  at  all  1 

11.  Is  the  distance  at  which  you  can  hear  always  the  same,  or 
under  what  circumstances  does  it  vary  ? 

12.  At  what  distance  can  you  distinguish  the  voice  of  a  person 
addressing  you  who  speaks  distinctly  ? 

13.  How  is  your  hearing  in  society?  How  do  you  hear  when 
riding  in  a  carriage  or  a  rail-road  car  ? 

14.  Do  you  hear  better  when  there  is  a  great  noise  or  when  silence 
prevails  ?  for  example,  do  you  hear  the  voice  of  any  one  better  (that 
person  being  at  a  certain  distance)  while  a  carriage  is  passing,  a 
drum  beating,  a  grand  concert  performing,  or  during  any  other  loud 
noise  ? 

15.  Are  there  sounds  or  voices  which  are  particularly  disagreeable 
to  you  ?     Can  you  distinguish  the  weaker  musical  notes  ? 

16.  Is  your  hearing  affected  by  the  wind  or  the  weather  ?  Do  you 
hear  better  in,  summer  or  in  winter,  in  the  open  air  or  in  a  room  ? 

17.  How  is  your  hearing  when  stooping,  lying  down,  tired,  annoy- 
ed, or  ill ;  as,  for  instance,  when  suffering  from  a  cold,  cough,  or 
headache,  or  after  indulging  in  wine,  spirits,  or  high-seasoned  meats, 
or  after  a  full  meal  ? 

18.  Have  you  any  unpleasant  sensations  in  the  external  ear  or  in 
the  ear  passage  ?  Are  the  ears  ever  or  always  swollen,  or  not '  la 
there  a  due  secretion  of  healthy  wax  ? 

19.  Do  small  pieces  of  whitish  membrane,  or  of  bone,  ever  come 
away  from  the  ear,  or  is  there  any  discharge  '  if  there  is,  is  it  con- 
stant or  occasional,  thick  or  fluid,  abundant  or  scanty,  yellowish  or 
otherwise  ?     Is  it  offensive  or  tinged  with  blood  ■ 

20.  Is  the  hearing  affected  by  the  quantity  of  discharge  •'  Does 
headache  or  other  pain  follow  its  cessation  • 

21.  Do  you  experience  any  peculiar  sensations  when  sneezing, 
yawning,  swallowing,  or  when  blowing  your  nose. 

22.  If  you  endeavor  to  make  a  powerful  expiration,  the  mouth  and 
nose  being  firmly  closed,  do  you  experience  a  sensation  in  the  in- 


tcrior  of  either  or  both  ears,  as  if  the  air  was  endeavoring  to  escape 
through  them  ?  or  do  you  hear  a  whistling  in  them  ?  Does  the  at- 
tempt cause  tinnitus  aurium  or  noise  in  the  ear,  or  increase  that 
already  existing  ? 

23.  Have  you  ever  heard  a  sudden  loud  noise  in  the  interior  of  the 
ear  ?  Was  the  hearing  better  after  that  noise  ?  and  how  long  did 
the  improvement  last  ? 

24.  Has  the  state  of  your  ears  ever  been  thoroughly  examined. 
by  an  Aurist,  with  or  without  instruments  •'  State  the  opinion  given 
of  your  case  ? 

25.  Were  they  examined  with  the  aid  of  the  sun's  rays,  or  of  an 
illuminated  auriscope  •' 

26.  Has  any  surgical  operation  been  performed  on  the  ear  or 
throat  ?  Have  your  ears  been  effectually  syringed  by  a  regular 
aurist  ? 

27.  What  is  the  nature  of  the  treatment  that  has  been  adopted  ? 
and  what  effect  did  it  produce  •'  Did  you  attend  to  the  advice  of 
your  medical  attendant-  and  how  long  did  you  pursue  the  plan 
recommended  to  you  ■ 

28.  Have  you  used  any  hearing  trumpet,  or  other  acoustic  instru- 
ment-'    What  •'  and  with  what  effect  ? 

29.  Do  you  hear  much  better  when  you  place  the  hollow  of  your 
hand  behind  either  or  both  ears,  or  is  the  improvement  but  slight  •' 

30.  Has  the  deafness  been  increased  by  a  too  early  or  long  con-^ 
tinued  use  of  acoustic  instruments  • 


Questions  respecting  the  deaf  and  dumb  would  be  useless,  as  they 
must  submit  to  a  personal  examination. 


^fcfe^ 

14  DAY  USE                     j 

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(.C8481sl0)476                                                Berkeley 

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